7-member gang of rhino poachers nabbed

A gang of seven poachers active in Kaziranga National Park were nabbed along with arms and ammunition from Bokakhat area of Golaghat district in upper Assam, police sources said today.
Acting on a tip off, police launched an operation and nabbed the poachers from their ring leader Dibyajyoti Doley's residence at Palashguri village of Bokakhat last night, the sources said.
Besides Doley, the other poachers have been identified as Pradip Pegu, Bisu Pegu, Bhabesh Pegu, Mohan Pegu, Atul Pegu and Jairam Mili.
Two 303 rifles with 8 rounds of live ammunition, one stengun with 6 rounds of ammunition, a silencer gun, three axes, four spears and food items were seized from them, the sources said.

Bisu Pegu was earlier convicted for poaching and was now out on bail, they said, adding, the six were planning fresh poaching activities to kill rhinos in Kaziranga National Park when they were nabbed.
This year around 13 rhinos have been killed by poachers in Kaziranga. Alarmed at the high rate of rhino killings the security forces and forest department has launched an operation against poachers.