(IN): Poacher hunt yields big game

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Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080214/jsp/northeast/story_8899201.jsp

 

Poacher hunt yields big game

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Guwahati, Feb. 13: *Three of the poachers responsible for the spate of

rhino killings in Kaziranga were hunted down last night after a weeklong

chase that took a team of forest guards and policemen from one den to

another and, finally, across the Assam-Nagaland border.

 

" Sharpshooter " Gauf Paite, whose antecedents are in Karbi Anglong, is the

biggest catch of the three. The team traced him to Nagaland's commercial

hub, Dimapur, on the basis of information provided by the two poachers who

were arrested before him.

 

Nural Islam and Khamkhan Suan were caught in a village near Diphu, the

headquarters of Karbi Anglong district.

 

" It is a big achievement. Gauf is one of the big catches in recent times, "

the divisional forest officer of Kaziranga, Bankim Sharma, said.

 

Gauf is not only a poacher but also has " direct links " with international

buyers of rhino horn, regarded as an aphrodisiac in some Southeast Asian

countries. Islam hails from Garumora village near Samaguri in Nagaon

district and Khamkhan Suan is from Nagaland.

 

Two other shooters, Lalpu Paite and Thangboi Yesin, escaped during the raid

on the village.

 

A source in the forest department said a trap was laid for the poachers

about a week ago through one of their arrested contacts. The man in question

used to provide information to the poachers about the movements of rhinos

and forest guards in and around Kaziranga.

 

" In accordance with our directions, their contact was in constant touch with

them in the last few days. The poachers were preparing to come to Kaziranga

for a kill, unaware that we were on their trail, " the source said.

 

Four of the poachers met at Aslong Hemtap yesterday to finalise their plans

— Gauf was to join the group later — when the team of policemen and forest

guards raided the village.

 

The security personnel had to walk 7km to reach the village.

 

After arresting Islam and Suan, the team headed for Dimapur to bait the big

fish.

 

The arrested trio said they used two weapons, a .303 rifle and a .315 rifle,

to kill rhinos in Kaziranga. " They would hire the weapons from an arms

dealer in Dimapur and keep them in a hideout in the Karbi Anglong hills, "

the source said.

 

Gauf told the police that only Thangboi and Lalpu, the duo who escaped, knew

exactly where the weapons were.

 

In Bokakhat, 23km from Kaziranga National Park, another police team were

today on the trail of Sunu Gogoi and Anil Bora, both suspected poachers

identified from the sketches prepared by Calcutta-based artist Debasish

Banerjee.

 

Naren Pegu, another poacher whose portrait Banerjee sketched, had

surrendered a month ago.

 

 

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