(IN): Probe into bribery slu

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http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090123/jsp/northeast/story_10429609.jsp

 

Probe into bribery slur

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Guwahati, Jan. 22: *A day after two poachers confessed to having paid Rs 1

lakh to a police official as protection money, Assam police today ordered an

inquiry into the allegation.

 

The Golaghat superintendent of police, Deepak Kumar, said he has directed

the sub-divisional police officer of Bokakhat, Nobin Singh, to conduct an

inquiry into the allegations. The report will have to be submitted within 48

hours.

 

" This is a serious allegation. If found true, stern action would be taken

against the guilty policeman, " Singh said. He said the two poachers had

alleged that they had paid the amount to the officer in-charge of Kamargaon

police station through a middleman, who is an Assam Police Battalion jawan

based in Dergaon.

 

The APBn jawan is from Aphala village where the rhino was killed and buried

in a pit in a farmer's backyard. The two poachers were part of an 11-member

gang involved in the killing of the rhino on December 25. The horn had

fetched Rs 12 lakh, the poachers said.

 

Numol Doley, one of the two poachers arrested on Tuesday, revealed during

interrogation that the members of the gang were assured by the middlemen

that they should not worry any more since the amount was paid at Kamargaon

and as such the police would not look for them.

 

The All Assam Students Union (AASU), which was up in arms against the

government for its failure to check the rampant killing of rhinos in

Kaziranga last year, today demanded stern action against the police

personnel who were in cahoots with the poachers.

 

" We have been maintaining that forest and police personnel were involved in

the killing of rhinos, now it has been proved. A poacher would not dare to

take names of policemen unless there was some truth in it, " said AASU

general secretary Tapan Gogoi.

 

He said it was surprising that no action was taken against the police

personnel even after 24 hours despite the fact that the poachers had named

them. " Had the poachers taken the names of a civilian, he would have been

picked up immediately, " Gogoi said.

 

Poachers killed 10 rhinos in Kaziranga last year.

 

Numol said the supply of arms and ammunition for killing rhinos come from

the north bank of the Brahmaputra. Numol and Bipul Kamang, the alleged

kingpin of the gang, are currently in the custody of the forest department.

 

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