(IN): Forest guards net 4 poachers

August 12, 2007

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Forest guards net 4 poachers

A STAFF REPORTER

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*Guwahati, Aug. 11: *Four poachers, arrested from a village in Nagaon

district in Assam yesterday, have confessed to having killed five rhinos.

The four, who belong to a gang led by Shikari Singner, a Karbi, were

arrested after personnel of the forest department raided Phuloguri Christian

Basti village based on intelligence inputs.

The gang mainly operates in the Burapahar and Bagori ranges of Kaziranga

National Park.

The poachers have been handed over to police. " This is a big catch and we

hope to get some more clues, " chief wildlife warden of Assam M.C. Malakar

told *The Telegraph*.

Interrogators have recorded the poacher's confessions on video as evidence

to be produced in court. The forest department and police are preparing a

dossier and taking photographs to strengthen their case.

A forest department official said they landed on the gang's trail after one

of its members was killed in an encounter at Burapahar range on July 10. " We

got some clues and activated our intelligence to help track down the gang.

Finally we smelled success. "

He said Singner was a shooter who earned Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for killing a

rhino and had been involved in several cases of poaching. " They are

illiterate people and do this for money, " he added.

A source said, " The actual persons who mastermind poaching operate from

outside the state and are hardly caught. International gangs are involved in

this. "

At least 14 rhinos have been killed this year, of which 10 have been killed

inside the park. The forest department has asked its field personnel to

carry out raids in Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts, reportedly a hub of

poachers.On July 25 the forest guards nabbed a poacher, Prabhat Saikia, from

Tamulipathar gaon in the Bokakhat area. His accomplice, Tikendra Saikia,

however, managed to flee.

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