(IN): Big haul of animal skins in Manas, 16 held

March 22, 2009

Big haul of animal skins in Manas, 16 held

CORRESPONDENT

BARPETA, March, 21 – In one of the biggest operations against the illegal

and cruel business of carcasses in the state, security forces recovered a

huge quantity of animal skin and bones last night. However, in a related

incident one Home Guard personnel lost his life while two persons including

the Deputy Director of Manas National Park cum Tiger Project received bullet

injury.

According to sources two teams of Assam Police, CRPF and Forest Guard

conducted specific search operations at Barpeta Road and Pathsala around 9

last night. When the team at Barpeta Road checked two cars they traced loads

of animal skins and bones including those of leopard, tiger, deer, bison

etc., worth more than six lakh rupees in the international market. There

were twelve persons in the cars and all of them have been arrested.

The team at Pathsala also managed to apprehend four persons with similar

items at a place a few kilometres north of Pathsala town, but their

operation did not end on a safe note. While they were returning after their

successful operation twenty rounds of bullets accidentally got fired from an

AK-47 assault rifle carried by one of the CRPF personnel accompanying them

and Home Guard Haren Kalita (30) attached to the SDPO Pathsala was hit badly

and was killed on the spot.

Deputy Director of Manas National Park C R Bhobora and another CRPF jawan

were wounded. Though Bhobora is stated to be out of danger the CRPF jawan is

known to be undergoing treatment at GMCH in a critical condition.

Recovery of such a huge quantity of valuable items and arrest of as many as

sixteen persons involved in such heinous crime has created sensation in

Barpeta and Baksa districts.

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