In a collaborative effort, the Assam Police and Forest Department successfully apprehended a poacher along with a rhino horn in Golaghat district, Assam. The arrest took place on January 26, and the identified poacher has been named as Joggu Pegu. Alongside the recovery of the rhino horn, firearms were also seized from Pegu.
Arun Vignesh, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, provided details on the operation, stating, “The apprehended poacher, Joggu Pegu, was involved in the recent rhino poaching incident in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. We caught him in the Kamargaon area near Bokakhat. Additionally, a rhino horn was found in his possession.”
The incident of rhino poaching occurred on January 22, when the forest guards of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve discovered the carcass of a female rhino in the Maklung forest camp area under the Agoratoli forest range. The poachers had ruthlessly cut off the rhino’s horn.
A comprehensive investigation is currently underway to delve into the circumstances surrounding the poaching incident and to identify any accomplices or networks involved in such illegal activities.
The joint operation reflects the commitment of Assam’s law enforcement and conservation authorities to combat wildlife crimes and protect the precious biodiversity of the region. The recovered rhino horn will be a crucial piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation.
For further updates on the investigation, the public is urged to follow official announcements from the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division.
