GUWAHATI:Against the backdrop of unabated poaching activities at the world famous Kaziranga National Park in Assam, one more rhino was killed by the outlaws. This is the seventh rhino to have fallen victim to the bullets of the poachers at the park this year. Twelve poachers were also arrested and one was killed during the period.
Official sources said that the rhino was killed at Tamulipathar area in Agaratoli range in the wee hours on Friday. “On hearing gunshots, the forest guards rushed to the site and carried out search operations. Later, they retrieved the carcass of a rhino. The horn had been sawed off and taken away by the poachers,” a senior park official said.
The incident came two days after a poacher had been gunned down in an encounter with the forest guards. A forest guard, Janak Deuri was also killed in the gunfight. The state government had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh for the family of Deuri.
Meanwhile, activists of the All Assam Students Union hit the streets in Kaziranga on Friday in protest against the killing of rhinos. The protesters shouted slogans and burnt Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Forest Minister Atuwa Munda in effigy. The Forest Minister reiterated his appeal to the poachers to stay away from their illegal activities.
