Home guard killed in encounter with rhino poachers

Orang, Assam

A home guard was killed today in an encounter between forest guards and poachers at Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park in Assam’s Sonitpur district, where a rhino carcass was found.

Park sources said forest guards, including home guards,got engaged in a gun battle with a gang of poachers around 1.30 am inside the park. The home guard, identified as Sushil Sil, was seriously injured and succumbed on way to the hospital.

During search operation, the carcass of the pachyderm with its horn sawn off was recovered near Belsiri camp of the Park, the sources said.

A pistol and ten rounds of ammunition were recovered from the site, they said, adding a hunt has been launched to track the poachers.

Editor’s note: This animal has to be saved at any cost. NSG and SPG cover for political leaders is fine, but this amazing animal too deserve matching security cover overall in its habitat. Killings of Rhinos must stop at any cost. Government should spend possible maximum budget and strengthen the protection cover. Also, the culprits must be nabbed through mobile phone locations and other methods. Government must see that entire network and links of culprits are exposed, and they get stringent punishment.

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