(IN): NGO staff fishes in park to make point

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Link:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090322/jsp/northeast/story_10704084.jsp

 

NGO staff fishes in park to make point

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Guwahati, March 21:* A member of an NGO today went fishing inside Kaziranga

National Park, apparently to protest against the delay in arresting two

legislators who invaded the sanctuary and assaulted a forest guard.

 

Sanjeeb Baruah, secretary of the Upper Assam unit of Seven Sisters, the NGO,

was apprehended near the Kathpora beel under Kohora range of the park around

noon. A fishing net was recovered from his possession.

 

Baruah, when contacted on his cellphone, told *The Telegraph* from the

forest range office at Kohora that the forest department “has no right” to

arrest him since they had failed to arrest the two MLAs — Jiten Gogoi and

Kushal Duari — who were caught red-handed fishing in the park.

 

“The law of the land is the same for everyone. How can they arrest me when

they failed to arrest the two MLAs?” Baruah asked. Seven Sisters has been

working in educational institutions near Kaziranga to spread awareness on

protecting animals for several years.

 

The two MLAs are still absconding, though the police have sounded a red

alert throughout the state. A tourism department employee who had

accompanied the two MLAs has been placed under suspension. He, too, is

absconding.

 

The Assam Forest Employees’ Association has set a 10-day deadline for the

arrest of the MLAs and threatened to launch an agitation.

 

The park’s director, S.N. Buragohain, said since Baruah had been caught with

a fishing net inside the national park, a case had to be registered against

him.

 

“I understand Baruah’s action but this is not the way to protest. Fishing

inside Kaziranga is banned,” Buragohain said. He added that the law would

take its own course.

 

The All Assam Students’ Union today demanded the immediate arrest of the

duo.

 

According to UNI, the absconding MLA Jiten Gogoi, however, told a local TV

channel over phone: “I am in Guwahati. I had never gone underground but the

police have not come to search for me.”

 

 

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