Guwahati, March 6 (IBNS): Two rhino poachers were killed in a gun fight on Tuesday night with security forces in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and two others were apprehended, officials said on Wednesday.
According to a report, forest guards had launched a search operation inside the KNP and killed the poachers during the gun battle.
“Based on intelligence report, a team of forest guard had launched an operation against the poacher inside the park and killed two poachers in two separate incidents at Agaratoli and Kohora in the park,” an official of forest department said.
Forest guards recovered one 303 rifle and ammunition in possession of them.
Meanwhile, police apprehended two rhino poachers at Biswanathghat in Sonitpur district on Tuesday night.
The nabbed poachers were identified as Jamir Islam and Kiran Das and police recovered Rs 3.91 lakh in cash in possession of them.
Poachers killed 13 one horned rhinos in Kaziranga in the past two months in this year and killed 21 rhinos in the year 2012.
The Assam forest department had deployed 300 jawans of Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) to protect wild animals and fight against poachers in the world heritage site.
Recently, Assam forest minister Rockybul Hussain said that, to protect wild animals including the one horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga, the forest guards will be equipped by AK series rifle soon.
“The state forest department had already sent a proposal to the Union Home Ministry,” Hussain said.
