A forester was shot dead allegedly by poachers in Similipal sanctuary in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, a forest official said on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

Officials told PTI that the incident occurred when a team of forest department were carrying out patrolling inside Similipal sanctuary, an exchange of fire broke out between the forest department team and six armed poachers at Badachachran beat house on Friday night.