Park officials said the spot where the rhino was shot dead was just about 700 metre from the Erasuti anti-poaching camp situated on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra. However, no gunshots were heard during the past 24 hours. "Our staff found the carcass of the animal close to the anti-poaching camp while they were patrolling this afternoon. They also recovered some bullets of a .303 rifle from near the body. We believe the rhino was killed by a .303 rifle with a silencer as the forest guards did not hear any gunshots,'' said chief conservator of forest (Kaziranga) N K Vasu.

After the carcass was found, forest staff launched an operation in and around the northern side of the park, Vasu said, adding, "Forest guards have been put on high alert in all the forest ranges of the park and both forest guards and the newly-appointed Assam Forest Protection Force personnel have been engaged in the operation."

He said that with this incident, the total number of rhino deaths due to poaching in Kaziranga and it's adjacent forest divisions areas has mounted to nine this year so far. The first poaching incident occurred near Sorali anti-poaching camp in Burapahar forest range on January 29 followed by three rhino killings on January 30, February 2 and 4 respectively.

To curb the unabated rhino poaching in the World Heritage Site park, the state forest department recently formed the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) and recruited 300 personnel for Kaziranga. This force is equipped with SLR and .303 rifles. According to the park authorities, about 100 such AFPF personnel have already joined their duties at the park and are working in different forest camps along with other forest guards.