Rhino killed in Kaziranga, encounter with poachers

A rhino was killed by poachers who also engaged in an exchange of fire with patrolling forest guards at Kaziranga National Park.
Patrolling forest guards heard gun shots last night in Burapahar range of the Park and launched a search operation in the area when they were fired upon by the suspected poachers, a senior official at the national park said today.
An exchange of fire followed but the poachers managed to escape, he said.
Gunshots were heard again early today followed by another encounter between the forest guards and poachers near Bahubali camp of the range but the poachers could not be apprehended.

Later, during searches, forest guards found a carcass of an adult male rhino with two bullet injuries but with its horn intact, the official said.
The forest guards also found 19 rounds of empty cartridges of AK-47 series along with a riflescope used to fire with precision, he added.
Searches are on to apprehend the poachers, who were suspected to have come from neighbouring Karbi Anglong.