HT Correspondent
DALGAON/TEZPUR, Oct 8: In a dramatic escalation in Assam’s fight against wildlife crime, forest officials at Orang National Park successfully thwarted an attempted poaching raid in the early hours of Wednesday, resulting in the death of a suspected poacher.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 12:30 AM near the Rahmanpur Anti-Poaching Camp, when a patrol team detected suspicious movements and flickering lights approaching the park.
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The rangers called out for identification, but the intruders opened fire, prompting security personnel to retaliate in self-defense.
The exchange of gunfire lasted several minutes amid heavy rain, dense forest cover, and near-total darkness.
Orang National Park Director Pradipta Baruah confirmed that the alert had been raised following information about poachers intending to target the one-horned rhinoceros.
He said a thorough search was conducted at dawn with the help of nearby camp elephants and additional personnel.
The operation uncovered the body of an unidentified individual at approximately 8:30 AM at GPS coordinates N26°34’03.4″ E92°17’54.3″, along with a backpack.
Baruah noted that the adverse weather conditions, heavy rain, and dense forest allowed the other members of the poaching gang to escape.
Authorities said the incident underscores the ongoing threat to wildlife in the park and the vigilance of forest staff in protecting endangered species. (With inputs from PTI)
