Daijiworld Media Network - Guwahati
Guwahati, May 11: Forest authorities in Assam have arrested three suspected wildlife poachers during a coordinated anti-poaching operation linked to the protection of rhinos in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), officials confirmed on Sunday.
KNPTR director Sonali Ghosh said the arrests were made following intelligence-based operations carried out jointly by teams from the Eastern Range, Gamiri, and the Crime Investigation Range under the Biswanath Wildlife Division. The suspects were apprehended from Narayanpur in Assam’s Lakhimpur district in connection with earlier wildlife crime cases.
Officials stated that the trio was allegedly preparing to carry out rhino poaching activities within the sixth addition area of the protected reserve. During the operation, forest personnel also recovered parts of a country-made firearm, including a rifle bolt and butt without a magazine, from Ukhal Chuk in Majuli district.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Pegu, Riju Pegu alias Rijukanta, and Pulen Kaman, all hailing from different districts of Assam — Majuli, Lakhimpur, and Biswanath.
In another major recovery earlier this year, forest teams had seized a .303 rifle along with 13 live rounds of ammunition from the Gopaljarani region near Kaziranga in March 2026.
Authorities said anti-poaching surveillance and enforcement have been significantly strengthened across Kaziranga in recent years to combat illegal wildlife activities and improve conservation efforts.
A key role in these operations has been played by the women forest protection unit known as “Van Durga,” whose frontline personnel continue to contribute actively to safeguarding the reserve’s rich biodiversity. Kaziranga holds international recognition as India’s seventh UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The park has witnessed several armed encounters in the past between suspected poachers and forest guards during wildlife protection missions. However, officials noted that stricter monitoring, rapid-response operations, and continuous vigilance have contributed to a sharp decline in poaching incidents over the years.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve is internationally celebrated for its iconic “Big Five” species — the greater one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, wild buffalo, and eastern swamp deer.
The protected landscape stretches across the Assam districts of Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, and Biswanath, and is managed through three major forest divisions: Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (Bokakhat), Biswanath Wildlife Division (Biswanath Chariali), and Nagaon Wildlife Division (Nagaon).