Another rhino killed in Kaziranga

A female rhino was killed in the Dolamara range along the Karbi Hills and its horns removed, Park Director Sanjiv Bora said today.

Yesterday, a female rhinoceros was left bleeding by poachers who sawed off its horn and cut off a part of its right ear after shooting it, while the carcass of another with its horn removed was found at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam's Golaghat district.

Poachers have so far killed 15 rhinos this year.

The attack on the rhinoceroses had sparked protests by the All Assam Students Union, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad and Krishak Mukti Sangram Parishad who blocked the National Highway 37 passing beside of KNP.

The demonstrators also burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and forest minister Rockybul Hussain.

ULFA's anti-talk faction, led by Paresh Barua, also condemned the killing of rhinos and accused the state government of failing to save Assam's heritage.

"The state government and its Forest Department has failed to protect the rhinos and now it is the duty of aware people to take necessary steps to protect the animal," a statement e-mailed by the outfit to the media said.