Guwahati, March 30: Militants believed to belong to a Karbi breakaway faction attacked an anti-poaching camp at the Kaziranga National Park last night and snatched a rifle, a walkie talkie set and a searchlight from the forest guards.
The incident took place at Panbari reserve forest, which is a part of the national park, on the foothills of Karbi Anglong hills along National Highway 37.
Police said the raiders could be members of the breakaway faction of the recently surrendered Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF). The same group, the police said, was involved in the kidnapping of an official of a private company from Bokajan recently.
Kaziranga divisional forest officer D. Gogoi said there were three personnel — a forest guard, a home guard and a casual worker — present at the camp near National Highway 37 when the raid took place. The forest personnel were deployed at the camp to prevent rhinos from straying out of the national park.
“It was around 11.30pm when the armed raiders descended on the camp and forcefully took away a 303 rifle, a walkie talkie set, a searchlight and a mobile phone. The attackers were there at the camp for not more than 30 minutes before they vanished into the adjacent Karbi Anglong hills. They warned the guards not to inform anyone till the morning,” Gogoi said.
Park authorities, who came to know about the incident half-an-hour later, immediately launched a manhunt to apprehend the culprits with the help of police. However, they failed to locate the raiders.
A forest official blamed the BSF for not helping the forest department in last night’s operation.
“We informed the BSF immediately but they never came,” he said.
The official said the forest guards, especially those posted near the Karbi Anglong hills and near the national highway, had to face a lot of risks to keep vigil during the night.
“With just a 303 rifle, the guards are no match for the militants armed with AK-47s,” he added.
A police official at Bokakhat said there was no doubt that the group comprised members of the breakaway faction of the KLNLF, who had refused to surrender arms.
“There are reports of this group’s involvement in anti-social activities in both Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts,” he added.
Last night’s incident was the third such attack on anti-poaching camps by militants at the national park, which is also a World Heritage Site.
About two years’ back, militants attacked the Paharline camp at the Kohora range of the park and took away weapons from the forest guards.
Rebels had also carried out a similar attack at the Hatidandi camp of the Bagori range.
The incident took place at Panbari reserve forest, which is a part of the national park, on the foothills of Karbi Anglong hills along National Highway 37.
Police said the raiders could be members of the breakaway faction of the recently surrendered Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF). The same group, the police said, was involved in the kidnapping of an official of a private company from Bokajan recently.
Kaziranga divisional forest officer D. Gogoi said there were three personnel — a forest guard, a home guard and a casual worker — present at the camp near National Highway 37 when the raid took place. The forest personnel were deployed at the camp to prevent rhinos from straying out of the national park.
“It was around 11.30pm when the armed raiders descended on the camp and forcefully took away a 303 rifle, a walkie talkie set, a searchlight and a mobile phone. The attackers were there at the camp for not more than 30 minutes before they vanished into the adjacent Karbi Anglong hills. They warned the guards not to inform anyone till the morning,” Gogoi said.
Park authorities, who came to know about the incident half-an-hour later, immediately launched a manhunt to apprehend the culprits with the help of police. However, they failed to locate the raiders.
A forest official blamed the BSF for not helping the forest department in last night’s operation.
“We informed the BSF immediately but they never came,” he said.
The official said the forest guards, especially those posted near the Karbi Anglong hills and near the national highway, had to face a lot of risks to keep vigil during the night.
“With just a 303 rifle, the guards are no match for the militants armed with AK-47s,” he added.
A police official at Bokakhat said there was no doubt that the group comprised members of the breakaway faction of the KLNLF, who had refused to surrender arms.
“There are reports of this group’s involvement in anti-social activities in both Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts,” he added.
Last night’s incident was the third such attack on anti-poaching camps by militants at the national park, which is also a World Heritage Site.
About two years’ back, militants attacked the Paharline camp at the Kohora range of the park and took away weapons from the forest guards.
Rebels had also carried out a similar attack at the Hatidandi camp of the Bagori range.
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