Poacher Killed in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
A poacher was killed and two others were arrested by Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) personnel in Assam’s Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on Friday, officials said.
The dead poacher was suspected to have come from Nagaland.
The poacher gang had entered the wildlife sanctuary to kill rhinos and take away the horn on Thursday night and they had an encounter with Forest Protection Force personnel in the early hours of Friday.
“The poachers started to fire at security personnel and exchanged heavy rounds of bullets. A poacher was killed on the spot and security personnel arrested two others of the gang,” a top forest official said.
Other members of the poacher gang managed to flee from the area.
A rifle, several rounds of ammunition and other items were recovered from the poachers.
Assam has lost at least 18 one horned rhinoceros in this year so far which were poached.
In January, forest guards on patrol in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary killed two poachers in a fierce gun battle. Earlier that month, forest guards killed four rhino poachers and arrested three others in Kaziranga National Park.
