Poachers armed with AK-47 kill another rhino in Kaziranga; toll rises to 17 this year

Poachers armed with sophisticated weapons killed another rhino inside Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday night and decamped with the animal’s horn.

Updated on: Dec 15, 2016, 14:26:31 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Poachers armed with sophisticated weapons killed another rhino inside Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday night and decamped with the animal’s horn.

Poachers killed another rhino inside the Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday night. (Representative image)

Despite announcements and efforts by the state government, poaching has continued unabated inside the park. This year alone 17 rhinos have succumbed to poachers bullets.

Carcass of the young adult male rhino, aged around nine years, was found on Thursday morning by park officials nearly one kilometer from the national highway, which runs through the park.

“Recovery of 11 used and one live rounds of AK-47 near the carcass indicate ultras belonging to one of the banned outfits in the region could be responsible,” Subasish Das, DFO-KNP told Hindustan Times.

Incidentally, poachers using similar assault rifles had killed another rhino near the same area of the park last month. But they were unable to take away the animal’s horn due to counter attack by park authorities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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