Assam: Poacher killed in gunfight with forest guards in Kaziranga

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: After a long period of calm, a poacher who entered Kaziranga National Park with the intention of killing a rhinoceros was shot dead by forest guards early on Wednesday morning.

According to the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, they received intelligence last night about a group of poachers infiltrating the park with the intention of rhino poaching. In response, all forest camps within the park were put on high alert, and forest guards launched a counter-operation against the poachers. Simultaneously, all possible exit routes from the park were blocked through ambushes set up by the special commando force.

At around 2:50 am, the river patrol team in the Burapahar forest range spotted a light source coming from an unidentified object on a sandbar in the Brahmaputra river. Acting cautiously and strategically, they began searching for the source of the light and soon detected movement from an armed group of poachers. The forest guards then called on the poachers to surrender, but the group responded by opening fire on them. The forest guards immediately returned fire.

A gunfight ensued between the forest guards and the poachers. According to the park’s director, after the situation was brought under control, additional forest personnel from the main office arrived to assist and conduct a search of the area. During this search, an unidentified poacher was found dead at the scene while the other members of the group managed to escape under the cover of darkness. From the scene of the encounter, a .303 rifle and a machete were recovered.

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