Assam police, forest department apprehend poacher in Golaghat; one rhino horn recovered

The apprehended poacher was involved in the recent rhino poaching incident in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, said DFO Arun Vignesh.

Assam police and the forest department, in a joint operation, apprehended a poacher along with a rhino horn in Assam's Golaghat district, officials said on Saturday. The arrest was made on Friday, and the apprehended poacher was identified as Joggu Pegu. Apart from the rhino horn, firearms were also recovereded from the apprehended poacher.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Arun Vignesh, speaking with ANI over the phone, said, "The apprehended poacher was involved in the recent rhino poaching incident in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve." "We caught him in the Kamargaon area near Bokakhat. We also recovered a rhino horn in his possession," he said.

A female rhino was reportedly poached in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on January 22. The forest guards of the park recovered the carcass of a female rhino from the area of Maklung forest camp under the Agoratoli forest range in the national park, and the poachers had cut off its horn.

The DFO said that further investigation is underway. (ANI)