Assam police, forest officials foils rhino poaching bid in Kaziranga, 3 poachers held

Guwahati: A joint operation carried out by Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) authorities, Bokakhat police, Jorhat forest division and Jorhat police, has led to the arrest of three alleged poachers and wildlife traders.

The arrest of the trio stems from a series of coordinated efforts by the team initiated since Tuesday, May 21, following receipt of credible information regarding nefarious designs of a group involved in the trade of rhino horns within the vicinity of the famed park known worldwide for its one-horned rhinoceros population, KNPTR field director Sonali Ghosh said.

On Tuesday, the joint team apprehended an individual Amar Choudhury aka Harilal Choudhury, from Jugal Ati village in Bokakhat subdivision of Golaghat district, while he was on his way to Bokakhat town. 

During interrogation of  Choudhury, it was revealed that he along with two of his accomplices were meeting at Palashguri village the same night to plan and kill a rhino, she said.   

Based on the information provided by Choudhury, the joint team carried out an operation, resulting in the arrest of another member of the group Gunakanta Doley. 

Further investigation and search of Choudhury’s house led to the recovery of six live rounds of .303 bullets and subsequent arrest of the mastermind of the group Achinta Morang aka Empe Morang from Jorhat district’s Kareng Chapori, she added.

During interrogation of Morang, it was revealed that the group had procured a .303 rifle and three live rounds of bullets in order to kill a rhino in Majuli district’s chapori area. 

Based on prima facie evidence, a case has been registered against the trio under relevant sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Wildlife (Protection) (Assam Amendment) Act, 2009, Ghosh further said.