Assam: Suspected poacher killed in Kaziranga in crossfire with forest guards

When the patrolling staff challenged them and asked them to reveal their identity, the armed poachers opened fire

A suspected poacher has been killed in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park during a cross-firing exchange between the forest guards and a team of armed miscreants on Wednesday, officials said.

Officials said one .303 rifle and a handbag were recovered from the spot. (Representative file photo)

Park’s director Sonali Ghosh said that intelligence inputs had indicated the movement of armed poachers inside the park, following which all anti-poaching camps were immediately alerted.

“They were instructed to comb the area and block possible escape routes,” she said.

Around 2:50am, a river patrol team from the Burapahar Range spotted light emanating from an unidentified object in the Maite Tapu area and located a group of suspected poachers.

“When the patrolling staff challenged them and asked them to reveal their identity, the armed poachers opened fire. The team retaliated with controlled fire in self-defence,” she said.

Ghosh said that once the situation was brought under control, additional forces from the range headquarters joined the operation.

“During the subsequent search, the body of one unidentified poacher was found from the site. It was sent to a government hospital, where doctors confirmed the death,” she added.

Officials said one .303 rifle and a handbag were recovered from the spot. A combing operation is currently underway to trace the remaining members of the group.