Organized gang of poachers behind ?

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www.sentinelassam.com Dated: 10th May, 2006

 

Organized gang of poachers behind?

Concern over missing of MNP Forest Range Officer

 

 

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, May 9: Sensation prevailed here over the reported missing

of a committed Forest Range Officer of Project Tiger of the Manas

National Park (MNP) since may 5.

Labanya Kumar Ramchiary (52), Forest Range Officer of Bhuyanpara

Range of MNP, came to Mangaldai on that day from his home at Bhogpur

(Naptipara) village under Barama police station in Baska district by

a passenger bus and appeared in the court of Chief Judicial

Magistrate, Mangaldai as a witness in GR case No 393/01 pertaining

to poaching of rhinos.

As per official records, he left the court at about 1.30 p.m. and

since then there has been no trace of him. After his family failed

to gather any information on his whereabouts, his wife, Shuwori

Ramchiary yesterday came to Mangaldai and reported the matter in

writing to Rounak Ali Hazarika, Superintendent of Police, Darrang.

The district police, in a prompt action, alerted all the police

stations and Hazarika himself led a police team to find out the

untraced Range officer.

It may be mentioned here that Ramchiary, till 2003, had rendered his

selfless and committed service in the Orang National Park and under

his able leadership, a number of rhino poachers were arrested, along

with a number of sophisticated weapons. This action had reduced the

increasing trend of rhino poaching in the park. For his outstanding

contribution and service towards the conservation and protection of

the Orang National Park, he was felicitated in a function organized

by the Green Society which was attended by officials of US Fish and

Wildlife Service, USA and the WWF.

Meanwhile, the possibility of the involvement of a section of anti-

social elements and an organized gang of poachers behind the missing

of Ramchiary cannot be ruled out. All the wildlife activists of

Mangaldai have expressed serious concern over the missing of the

forest officer and requested the police to trace him out at the

earliest.