Another rhino poached in Kaziranga, forest official suspended

Guwahati: A forest official was suspended following an one horned rhino was poached in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on Friday during Assam forest minister Atuwa Munda visited to the park.

According to the reports, poachers killed a male rhino at Ganarati Chapari area under Gahpur forest range office on Friday morning and fled with its horn.

"Forest guards found the dehorned bullet injuries body. Poachers had managed to flee from the site after shopped off its horn, " a forest official said.

The poaching incident happened during the time when Assam forest minister Atuwa Munda visited the national park.

After the rhino poaching incident, Assam forest minister had immediately suspended the concerned forest official.

"I had immediately suspended the Gahpur forest range officer Pushadhar Burhagohain and ordered an inquiry, " the state forest minister said.

The state forest minister had visited the national park and discussed to curb the rhino poaching incidents during a high level meeting with DC's and SP's of Golaghat, Nagaon and Karbi Anglong district, top forest officials.

The minister will visit the Char Chapari area of Biswanath under KNP on Saturday.

Poachers killed seven one horned rhinoceros including six alone in Kaziranga in this year so far.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)