One-horned rhino killed on outskirts of Kaziranga in Assam

GUWAHATI, Dec 1: A one-horned rhinoceros was killed with a spear as it ventured out of the Kaziranga
National Park in Assam’s Golaghat district, officials said on Friday.
The female rhino had ventured into Lokorakhonia area on the periphery of the park last week when a
man threw a spear at it, they said.
The injured rhino went back into the park and after forest officials came to know of the incident, they
started a search for it. Drones were used for the search, besides patrolling on elephants.
The carcass was detected on Thursday evening near Teteliguri Anti-Poaching Camp in the Ekorani area,
officials said.
The rhino was estimated to be of age 20-30, and the cause of the death was ascribed to an injury on the
“left flank back rear portion of the stomach with a deep penetration of the weapon (spear) across skin
and ribs”, they said.
Further samples have been collected for DNA analysis and shall be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India,
they added.
A team led by the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division Arun Vignesh has
already nabbed the accused, identified as Naren Saikia. He was remanded to judicial custody.
The horn of the rhino was intact and recovered as per standard procedure for safe custody, officials said.
(PTI)