Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday ordered a CBI inquiry into the recent rhino killings in the World Heritage Site Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
Poachers killed seven one-horned rhinos within a year in which four were killed in a week’s time.
During a press conference held in Guwahati, the Assam CM said the state government ordered a CBI inquiry into the recent rhino poaching incidents in KNP.
“I have already ordered CBI probe into the rhino killings in KNP,” the Assam CM said.
He said militants also were involved in the killings.
Assam lost at least 42 rhinos in 2012 where poachers killed 21 rhinos in KNP.
This year, poachers killed seven rhinos in Kaziranga Park.
On 2nd of February, forest guards recovered a body of a bullet injured rhino near Sundari camp under Burapahar range office in KNP.
In 2012, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan visited the country’s richest bio-diverse Kaziranga and ordered an investigation by a team of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) comprised by C Behra, Regional Deputy Director, Eastern Region, Kolkata; A K Jha, Assistant Director (Intelligence), BHO, Delhi; L Kuruvilla, Assistant Director, Southern Region, Chennai and K K Sarma, Wildlife Inspector, Northern Region, Delhi into the incidents of poaching in the park.
Meanwhile, the Assam state government also announced a cash award of Rs 5 lakh to anyone who will give information about poachers.
