Suspected poachers held with AK-47

Forest officials with the seized firearm in Jaldapara. Picture by Anirban Choudhury

TT, Madarihat (Alipurduar), Oct. 19: Four suspected poachers were arrested from Uttar Mendabari village last night and an AK-47 rifle, a rhino horn and 46 rounds live cartridge were seized from them, the divisional forest officer of Jaldapara said.

Foresters said it was the first time that an AK-47 rifle had been seized from suspected poachers in north Bengal.

The arrested persons were produced in the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate here this afternoon and remanded in forest department custody for three days.

One of the arrested persons, Sanjoy Rava, had been caught earlier in connection with poaching and forest officials said he was kept under watch.

"On the basis of source information, our staff members led by Debashish Sharma, the ACF (assistant conservator of forest), Chilapata, raided the house of Sanjoy Rava at Uttar Mendabari around 11pm. There, we arrested Sanjoy and seized an AK-47 and 46 rounds of live cartridge. On the basis of information given by him, we arrested Lachhu Rava, Subol Rava and Arjun Rava from the village," Bhashkar J.V, divisional forest officer of Jaldapara wildlife division, said at a press conference here today.

"There are few other members of the (same) gang and we have got their names," he said.

Sources said there were four other members in the gang.

Uttar Mendabari village is close to Jaldapara forest and around 16km from Madarihat.

The DFO said Sanjoy used to go to Assam frequently and he had told foresters that someone from Chhirang district in Assam had given him the firearm and cartridges.

"We are now certain that poachers from Assam are involved in most poaching incidents in this region. After tests, we will get to know if the rhino horn is from Jaldapara or somewhere else. It weighs 344gm," Bhashkar J.V said.

Foresters said poachers in Kaziranga and Manas forests in Assam have been found using arms like AK-47.

Kalchini police have started a case under the Arms Act against the four arrested.