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Suspected rhino poacher killed in encounter while trying to flee custody: Police
The man sustained multiple bullet injuries and he was taken to Barpeta Medical College for treatment where he succumbed
A suspected rhino poacher, who was arrested near India-Bhutan border in Assam’s Chirang district on Sunday night, has been killed in an encounter, police said.
According to police, the special task force (STF) in Assam shot the poacher, identified as Nareswar Basumatary as he was attempting to flee from custody.
Acting on a tip off, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Assam and a team of Chirang forest department launched an operation near India-Bhutan border on Sunday night.
Three suspected poachers and smugglers were caught along with rhino claw, skin, hand-made pistol and bullets in their possession.
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They were later handed over to the STF.
One of the poachers told police officials that he will take them to others involved in poaching.
He took the officials to Jalukani on the Bhutan border in Chirang district where he allegedly attacked the STF officials.
“After reaching a forest area, he suddenly pushed the officials and tried to flee. We warned him but he didn’t stop and tried to snatch a gun from an official,” a senior official said.
The man sustained multiple bullet injuries and he was taken to Barpeta Medical College for treatment where he succumbed, police said.
His body has been sent for postmortem and investigations are underway.
“We are investigating the two arrested persons and we are interrogating them. More details will come in the investigation,” a senior official said.
The arrested poachers confessed that they were involved in killing of two rhinos at the Manas National Park this year, police said.
According to police, the arrested persons revealed that a seven-member gang of rhino poachers camped inside the Manas National Park in April and killed a rhino and other animals.
“They stayed for six days inside the park and killed a rhino. They have sold the rhino horn,” an official informed media persons.
The forest officials said that they also recovered elephant tusks from the same poaching group operating in Manas Tiger Reserve.
