Assam: Two suspected poachers, absconding wildlife offender arrested in Raimona National Park
Guwahati, July 12
Two suspected poachers and an absconding wildlife offender were apprehended in two separate anti-poaching operations by forest personnel at Assam's Raimona National Park under the Bodoland Territorial Council, officials said on Sunday.
In a major boost to wildlife protection and conservation efforts, the Central Range of Raimona National Park (RNP) conducted an intensive anti-poaching operation that led to the arrest of two persons allegedly involved in illegal wildlife activities.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Addl PCCF) and Council Head of Department (CHD), BTC, Sonali Ghosh, said the operation was launched following credible intelligence inputs received around 20 to 21 days ago regarding the movement and suspicious activities of five to six unidentified persons inside the national park.
Acting swiftly on the information, Forest Department officials initiated a detailed investigation and intensified surveillance across sensitive forest areas.
Following continuous monitoring, intelligence gathering and coordinated planning, the Forest Department, in collaboration with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), launched a joint follow-up operation.
The operation proved successful, resulting in the arrest of two suspected poachers allegedly involved in the illegal hunting of endangered wildlife species in Raimona National Park.
The arrested persons were identified as Sukur Mushahary (35) and Parbeswar Narzary (38), both residents under the jurisdiction of Kachugaon Police Station.
Ghosh said preliminary investigations indicate that the accused were allegedly involved in illegal hunting and poaching activities targeting endangered wildlife species inhabiting the ecologically sensitive landscape of Raimona National Park.
She said further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected poaching network.
In another operation, the Additional PCCF said that during routine patrolling in the Sanfan Range of Raimona National Park, the Janagaon Beat Team apprehended one person identified as Ramal Goyary, a resident of Kachugaon in Kokrajhar district.
According to the senior forest official, the accused, along with a few others, had allegedly entered the core area of the national park with the intention of fishing, which is strictly prohibited inside the protected area.
During interrogation, it was revealed that Ramal Goyary was an absconding accused in a wildlife offence case registered on July 15, 2024, in connection with the illegal hunting of a spotted deer inside the national park.
The official said the other individuals accompanying him managed to flee into the forest before they could be apprehended. Efforts are currently underway to identify and trace the absconding suspects involved in the incident.
The Forest Department reiterated its commitment to protecting the rich biodiversity of Raimona National Park and warned that stringent legal action would be taken against anyone involved in poaching, illegal fishing or unauthorised entry into protected forest areas.
The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is an autonomous administrative body constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to govern the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in western Assam.
The BTR, which shares borders with Bhutan and West Bengal, comprises four districts -- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good job by the authorities, but why always arrest the small fish? The real kingpins, the ones buying the endangered animals and parts, operate from cities. Need to break the entire supply chain, not just catch a few locals trying to make a quick buck out of desperation.
This is great news for wildlife conservation! But I'm also thinking about the locals - many in these areas are poor and poaching is a quick way to earn money. The govt should also provide alternative livelihoods like eco-tourism or forest-based enterprises. Otherwise we're just treating the symptom, not the cause.
The spotted deer case from last year - good that they caught the absconder. But it shows how underfunded our forest departments are. Only 20 forest staff for an area that's so big? Villagers just walk in with nets for fishing. Need more boots on the ground and better monitoring technology like camera traps and drones.
As someone from Assam, I'm proud of our forest officials. The BTC region has always had issues with illegal activities, but this joint operation with SSB shows coordination is improving. However, we must also remember that Raimona is part of the Chirang-Ripu elephant reserve - these arrests help protect our elephants too. 🐘
Good work by the forest department, but I'm concerned about the 5-6 others who fled. They know the terrain well and could strike again. The intelligence-based approach is smart - they should keep this up and track the entire network. Also, stricter punishment for these crimes will serve as a deterrent. 🙏
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