Shootout in Kaziranga leaves suspected poacher dead, arms recovered
This is the second such incident in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in a week
AT Photo: One-horned rhinoceros in Assam's Kaziranga National Park
Guwahati, May 29: A suspected poacher was shot dead in an encounter with a joint team of forest guards and Assam Police late Wednesday night in the Agoratoli range of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. According to park authorities, the shootout took place near the Dhanbari area following a tip-off about a possible poacher attack on the frontline staff stationed at the Balidubi camp.
All nearby forest camps were put on high alert, and extra security personnel were deployed as a precaution. Around 10:30 pm, security forces detected suspicious movement and issued warnings to the suspects.
However, the poachers opened fire, prompting a half-hour-long exchange. After the firing ceased and the suspects fled, a search operation led to the discovery of an unidentified injured man, who was rushed to Swahid Kamala Miri Civil Hospital in Bokakhat. He was declared dead on arrival.
Recovered from the site were an AK-56 rifle with 11 rounds of live ammunition, a .303 rifle with three rounds, a bag containing an axe, food supplies, and a torch. Park officials have confirmed that search operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the armed intrusion.
Earlier, on May 21, another armed poacher was killed in a similar standoff near the Duramari Anti-Poaching Camp in the same Agoratoli range. That operation was triggered by intelligence inputs about intruder movements within the park. Forest personnel, along with commando units, launched a swift cordon-and-search mission, leading to an encounter.
Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shelters the largest global population of one-horned rhinoceroses, making it a persistent target for poaching syndicates.
The state has ramped up enforcement, reflecting a broader crackdown. On May 9, a suspected poacher from Arunachal Pradesh was nabbed at Behali Wildlife Sanctuary.
Forest authorities emphasised that the current operations will persist until all threats within the park are neutralised. The administration remains resolute in preserving Kaziranga’s fragile biodiversity from illegal wildlife trade.
PTI