Year's tenth rhino killed in Kaziranga

OUR BUREAU

Kaziranga/ gaon, June 19: Poachers killed yet another one-horned rhino inside the Kaziranga tiol Park and took away its horn, officials said on Sunday.

"The park guards found the carcass of a female rhino in Bagori range today (Sunday) morning. Its horn was missing, indicating it to be a case of poaching," an official said.

The animal was poached on Saturday evening. A manhunt has been launched to trace the poachers.

According to forest officials, guards heard gunshots near the Amkathoni forest camp and a search operation was launched immediately.

"But due to low light, the guards could not find anything.  The carcass of a female rhino was found this morning between Amkathoni and Rotikhuwa forest camp. The horn was missing. Form the spot, forest guards recovered a silencer," the sources said.

The poachers, who reportedly entered the park through the Biswath Chariali side, used a .303 rifle to kill the rhino.  

This is the 10th rhino to be killed in the park this year.

New Forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma had visited the park thrice in the last two weeks to oversee anti-poaching measures there.

Last week, poachers had killed a female rhino in the park during Brahma's visit. She then suspended the park director and appointed a new one.

The minister also instructed the new park director to take stringent steps to stop poaching of rhinos.

Meanwhile, the Forest minister told reporters in Kokrajhar today that patrolling needs to be increased in the tiol park for which additiol men will be deployed.

"We are aware about the shortage of manpower but there have been security lapses in the Biswath side," she said, describing the poaching as unfortute.