Rhino poaching: Four held, horn still missing

SNS, Siliguri, 30 October 2014: Though foresters have arrested four persons in connection with poaching of a four-year-old male rhino in the Gorumara National Park, they are still clueless about the animal horn that was taken away by the poachers on the night of 16 October. 

The forest department first arrested one Karimul Haque, a local resident, and interrogated him. Three persons were then arrested in this connection. One of them is in hospital and two others are in the custody of the forest department. Two persons were produced in court today. 

Foresters suspect that poachers from outside would not have been able to commit such a crime without the help of the local people. 

“Despite the interrogation, we have failed to collect information on the poachers who committed the crime with the help of the local people. The rhino horn, which was taken away after killing the animal, is still missing,” a senior wildlife official said today. 

“We are trying hard to identify the gang of poachers and to trace the horn. A total of four persons have been arrested in this connection and foresters are interrogating them,” said Sumita Ghatak, a senior official of the department’s wildlife division. 

Foresters have intensified patrolling and mobilised sources to detect the gang and to check poaching.