Rhino poacher, 6 horn traders held in Kaziranga

DIPHU/NAGAON: A rhino poacher and six traders dealing with horns of the hunted herbivore in Kaziranga National Park were arrested from Assam's Nagaon and neighbouring Karbi Anglong districts.

Rhino poacher Rajen Ingti was arrested from Kohan basti falling under Nagaon-Karbi Anglong district on Saturday, police sources said.

Four of the six illegal horn dealers, all from Karbi Anglong, were apprehended from Bokolia and the rest from Rojapathar village, the sources said.

The six were returning last night after a failed attempt to strike a deal for buying a rhino horn from militant outfit Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers (KPLT) 'chairman' Ron Rongpi, the sources said.

The six have been identified as B Jangkha from Nagaland, Sona Dey, Tenjit Terang, Suren Gupta, Babu Timung and Robin Ronghang.

Police alleged the dealers were involved with the poachers in the killing of rhinos for sale in the international illegal market for horn of the animal.

The KPLT chairman had demanded Rs 80 lakh for the horn, while the six were offering Rs 60 lakh, police added.