Male rhino killed in Kaziranga

KAZIRANGA: A male rhino in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam was killed and its horn taken away by poachers, who were involved in two encounters with foresters in the habitat of the great Indian one-horn rhino.

A group of three poachers on Saturday killed a rhino with two bullets in the Burapahar Range of the Park and were hiding in its jungles to escape under the cover of darkness yesterday, KNP Director S N Buragohain said.

With this, five rhinos have been killed in the KNP this year, the Park director said.

On Saturday a Royal Bengal tiger also died of suspected poisoning, a new method adopted by poachers, and a male elephant migrating out of the Park was shot by poachers on Thursday, forest sources added.

On learning about the killing of the rhino, the forest guards and Forest Battalion men yesterday launched a search operation against the poachers. Two encounters followed between 8.20 pm and 11 pm, sources said.

The forest security personnel fired about 50 rounds from their 315 and 303 rifles at the poachers, but they fled southwards to the Karbi Anglong hills under the cover of darkness, Burapahar ranger Ikramul Mujid said.

Though the foresters gave a tough fight to the poachers with their 315 and 303 rifles, Mujid said they needed self loading rifles (SLR), Rapid Action security personnel and night vision goggles for better vigilance and protection of the World Heritage Site Park.