A gang of three rhino poachers, including a former BSF personnel, active in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) was arrested along with arms and ammunition from Behali in Assam's Sonitpur district.
Launching an intensive operation after the killing of a rhino in the Northern Range falling in Sonitpur on March 26, KNP Range Officer Basanta Kakoti along with forest guards and police arrested Pranab Barua (33) last night.
Pranab's interrogation led to the arrest of his associates Lakhi Deb Saikia (50) and Deben Hazarika (46) who was a former BSF man, the Park authorities said.
A hand-made pistol, one 303 rifle and four bullets were recovered from the trio who are involved in killing of the rhinos and trading in their horns, nails, bones, skin and other body parts, the sources said.
Hazarika was out on bail after he was arrested three years ago along with a rhino horn, they said.
There were clues to the operation of an inter-state gang of poachers who take rhino horns from the World Heritage Site to illegal markets in Asia through Moreh on the Indo-Myanmar border.
Earlier on March 26, a seven-member gang of poachers was arrested at Palashguri village of Bokakhat area of Golaghat district with arms and ammunition.
The killing of 15 rhinos in Kaziranga this year has alarmed the security forces and forest department to launch the operation against poachers.
