Sign in

Poachers kill another rhino and decamp with horn in Assam’s Kaziranga

Exactly a week after they killed a rhino in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam with AK-47 assault rifles, poachers killed another rhino on Wednesday night and stole its horn.

Published on: Dec 22, 2016, 18:00:46 IST
Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

Exactly a week after they killed a rhino in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam with AK-47 assault rifles, poachers killed another rhino on Wednesday night and stole its horn.

Despite dozens of poacher arrests in the past 3 to 4 months, killing of rhinos in the Kaziranga National Park hasn’t abated. (PTI file)
Despite dozens of poacher arrests in the past 3 to 4 months, killing of rhinos in the Kaziranga National Park hasn’t abated. (PTI file)

Despite dozens of poacher arrests in the past 3 to 4 months, killing of the endangered animal in the park hasn’t abated. The latest incident takes the death toll to 18 this year.

Poachers killed the adult male rhino in the park’s Bagori range and chopped off its horn.

The bullet-riddled carcass of the animal was found by park authorities on Thursday.

Unlike last week’s incident, when nearly a dozen used shells of AK-47 were recovered from near the animal, this time used shells of a .303 rifle was found near the carcass.

After last week’s attack, forest authorities in a joint operation with police had busted a poachers’ camp in nearby Karbi Anglong district and recovered a number of sophisticated weapons.

“The last incident seemed to have been carried out by some insurgent group. The latest kill seem to be handiwork of small time operators who entered the park by crossing the Brahmaputra river,” said a park official.

  • Utpal Parashar
    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