(IN): NDTV report Anti-poaching raids in Assam

February 11, 2010

Anti-poaching raids in Assam

VIDEO LINK (Duration 1min 37sec) :

been a dramatic increase in wildlife crime in Assam. Orang National Parkhas

decided to go all out and step up pressure on neighbouring villages. NDTV

followed an anti-poaching operation in which two poachers were apprehended

on Wednesday.

In a pre-dawn raid a joint team of Army and forest guards swooped down on

the notorious village of Hamu Char in Jhawni island where a rhino was killed

in January. The village touches the boundary of the Rajiv Gandhi Orang

National Park.

There have been five anti-poaching raids by the Orang Park Management so far

this year and each time a raid has been conducted on the fringe village they

have been able to seize something or the other for example antlers and

animal traps.

In this particular raid, the prime suspects had escaped but two others were

picked up. Abdul and his father are suspected to have killed several rhinos.

The team moves from house to house collecting illegal items. In an earlier

raid, villagers had attacked foresters after some of them were arrested with

firearms and wildlife parts.

Since January 2010, 15 persons have been picked up from these fringe

villages in connection with poaching.

The pressure of human population and encroachment has been Orang's biggest

problem. These raids may be of some help but with an almost zero conviction

in wildlife crime the poachers are recycled back into business.

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