9 poachers arrested for killing rhino in Kaziranga National Park

Jorhat (Assam)

Nine poachers, including three forest department staff, have been arrested for killing a one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park (KNP).

Acting on a tip-off, police last night arrested the nine.

They included three forest department employees from Burapahar Range office. They have been identified as Keshav Gayan, Tonkeswar Bordoloi and Pinku Das, Kaziranga National Park Divisional Forest Officer Subhashis Das said.

The six “most wanted” poachers were identified as Adrish Ali, Fafiq Ali, Saiful Ali, Ibrahim Ali, Saurav Ali and Tarzan Orang, Das said.

The gang had killed an adult male rhino, removed its horn and dumped the carcass near Tunikati camp under Burapahar Range in KNP on November 22, 2015.

According to Das, all the six poachers were named in the most wanted list of 126 poachers in four districts — Nagaon, Sonitpur, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat.

On Sunday last, police had nabbed Saurav Ali from Burapahar Range and interrogated him, leading to his confession and information of the nexus between poachers and KNP staff.

PTI