Elephant poaching in Manas: Three suspects arrested with firearms in Chirang
Authorities are investigating if the trio was involved in the killings or part of a larger poaching network;
The arrested individuals have been identified as Abid Borgoyari, Mahesh Islary, and Jiron Basumatary.
Chirang, May 5: In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into wild elephant killings in Manas National Park, police, on Monday, arrested three suspected poachers from Amtenga in Chirang district.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Abid Borgoyari, Mahesh Islary, and Jiron Basumatary.
Police suspect the trio may be linked to recent elephant poaching cases in the park along the India-Bhutan border.
Acting on a tip-off, a team led by Additional Superintendent of Police (Chirang), Amit Kumar Mahato, and Officer-in-Charge of Amguri Police Station, Pankaj Doley, launched a targeted operation resulting in the arrests.
During the raid, police seized two handmade firearms along with several objectionable items believed to be related to poaching activity.
Authorities are currently investigating whether the trio was directly involved in the killings or if they are part of a wider poaching network operating in and around the protected reserve.
A senior police official said the extent of their involvement will be determined after further interrogation and forensic analysis of the recovered materials.
The arrests follow the gruesome discovery of three elephant carcasses in Manas National Park on May 2, coinciding with the conduct of Panchayat elections in parts of Assam.
The killings occurred near the Palengshi beat, close to Pillar No. 194 along the Indo-Bhutan border.
Two elephants were found dead near the border post, one of them reportedly beheaded with the severed head missing. The third was located under the jurisdiction of the Banchum Beat Office.
The incident has sparked outrage among conservationists and raised questions over enforcement lapses.
Forest personnel from the Panbari Forest Division have since intensified operations in the area, working in tandem with law enforcement to curb the threat of organised poaching.
The Manas National Park, a biodiversity hotspot and home to several endangered species, has witnessed repeated threats from poachers in recent years despite being a protected area under both Indian and international conservation frameworks.