Assam: Rhino horn seized in Nagaon, poacher flees from spot

In a major breakthrough in the rhino poaching case of Bagori, Kaziranga reported on 26th March 2023, STF, Assam, and Nagaon Police have recovered the rhino horn which is suspected to have been poached during the incident.

Based on credible source information received by Shri Dhrubajyoti Nath, APS, Addl. SP, STF, Kaziranga, regarding a group of poachers trying to sell a rhino horn, Nagaon Police and STF, Assam, swung into action.

Accordingly, a trap was laid at the Batadrava area led by Shri Rupjyoti Kalita, APS, Addl. SP, Crime, Nagaon, with SI Junmoni Rabha, I/C, Morikolong TOP, and staff with support from Shri Dhrubajyoti Nath, APS, Addl. SP, STF, Kaziranga, at around 3 pm on 14th April 2023.

As a result, one of the persons of the rhino poachers’ gang namely Saidul Islam (38 years), S/O Abdul Khalek, Vill Hamur Char, PS Lahorighat, Dist. Morigaon was caught red-handed with a rhino horn in his possession which was duly seized.

On interrogation of the apprehended accused person, a search was conducted following which 3 motorcycles, Cash Rs. 50,000/- and 1 mobile handset were recovered and seized by the police team.

Forest officials were consulted and it was ascertained that the seized rhino horn is an original rhino horn. Further, technical analysis of the rhino horn was conducted by scientists of CWRC, Kaziranga, who confirmed that the rhino horn is original and is fresh (approx. one month old).

On interrogation of the apprehended person, it was learnt that a .303 rifle which was used to poach the rhino at Bagori, Kaziranga was hidden at Saiful Tapu, Bagori range which is located not far from the PO under Kathpara camp, Bagori Forest Range, Nagaon.

Accordingly, a team of Nagaon Police and STF, Assam, Kaziranga, led by the Addl. SP, STF, with Shri Rupam Bordoloi, APS, SDPO, Kaliabor, SI Pawan Kalita, O/C, Jakhalabandha PS, SI Ajit Sonowal, I/C, Bagori PP, along with Forest officials took the apprehended person to the PO to search for the said weapon and to reconstruct the crime. However, when the team reached the Brahmaputra river, the apprehended accused person under the cover of darkness jumped into the river and fled away. Necessary search operations are on to re-apprehend the accused person.

Operations are on to also apprehended the rhino poachers named by the apprehended accused persons who were involved in the poaching incident.

Nagaon Police is grateful for the constant guidance and supervision in the investigations into the poaching incident by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Assam, who took an active interest in our efforts to recover the rhino horn and apprehension of involved accused persons. We are grateful to the DGP, Assam, and the Dy. IGP, STF, Assam, for their constant guidance and support to Nagaon Police to successfully recover the rhino horn and apprehension of the accused person.

Also Read: Assam: Three alleged poachers held in connection with rhino killing in Bagori range of KNP