Guwahati, December 31 : Poachers killed another one horned rhinoceros in Orang national park in Assam, bringing the total number of rhinos poached in the state this year to 35.
According to reports, Poachers killed a pregnant female rhino near Belsiri forest camp in the national park and managed to flee with the horn.
A home guard was killed during an encounter with Poachers while the home guard tried to protect the female rhino from Poachers.
“Sushil Sheel, a home guard, was killed during a gun battle with Poachers while he tried protect the big animal from Poachers,” a top forest official said.
“Forest guards recovered a dehorned bullet injuried female rhino at a paddy field near the National Park,” the official reported.
Forest guards recovered 13 empty bullet casings from a 303 rifle in the area.
A number of organisations had protested against the rhino killing incidents and demanded that the union and state government should take necessary action to protect wild animals in the state.
In this year, Poachers killed 35 rhinos in Kaziranga, Manas, Pobitora and Orang national parks in the state.
Assam forest minister Rockybul Hussain announced that the state government took all probable necessary action to protect wild animals.
Earlier this year, the state government had launched unmanned aerial surveillance in Kaziranga national park, but the process has totally failed to protect the animals.
