“AK Rifle Used for Killing Rhino in Kaziranga: Poachers Arrested with Horn, Police Say”

The Assam Police apprehended a group of suspected animal poachers in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on Saturday. The individuals were accused of killing an adult female rhino earlier in the week. As part of their investigation, the police recovered an AK Series Rifle believed to have been used in the poaching.

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“We have arrested the poachers and seized the poached horn and the AK Rifle used in the crime. Further recoveries are anticipated, along with the reconstruction of the crime scene,” stated Assam’s Director General of Police (DGP), Gyanendra Pratap Singh, on X on Saturday.

A female rhino was tragically killed by the poachers in the Agoratoli Forest Range within the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on January 21. The carcass was discovered the following day, revealing that the poachers had extracted the rhino’s horn before fleeing the scene.

This incident marks the first case of rhino poaching in Assam this year. Officials believe that the poachers gained access to Kaziranga by crossing the Brahmaputra river.

Following the incident, the police initiated an operation to track down the poachers. Their efforts paid off within a week, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

“We pursued all available leads and monitored potential markets, anticipating that the poachers would attempt to sell the horn. On Friday, we received specific information that enabled us to apprehend the poachers,” revealed a senior police officer.

The DGP commended the outstanding investigation conducted by the Golaghat district’s Superintendent of Police (SP), which successfully cracked the recent rhino poaching case in Kaziranga.

One of the arrested poachers has been identified as Joge Pegu, a resident of Chirang district’s Bijni subdivision. The police are currently conducting further investigations, and additional details will be shared in due course.

Assam achieved a significant milestone in 2022, as it recorded zero rhino poaching cases for the first time in nearly three decades. The efforts of the Assam government to combat such heinous crimes were commended by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio and numerous individuals worldwide.

The police emphasized that over the past three years, extraordinary measures have been implemented to prevent poaching, resulting in a substantial reduction in such incidents. “We maintain strict vigilance over all movements, including the illegal sale of animal body parts, as these transactions often drive the killings,” stated the police authorities.

The DGP expressed his appreciation for the police force’s successful arrest of the poachers, stating, “Compliments to the entire team and supervisory officers. Our unwavering commitment to protect the One Horned Rhinos is commendable.”