Poacher killed in encounter with Forest guards in Kaziranga

A poacher was killed in an encounter with forest guards in Assam's rhino habitat Kaziranga National Park in the wee hours today.
A patrolling party of forest guards saw two unidentified men moving near Mihimukh highland in the Park's Kohora Range and asked them to stop, Assistant Conservator of Forest Ramen Das said.
The two men instead fired at the guards, who retaliated and one of the trespassers was killed, while the other fled, Das said.
An axe, a torch light, some clothes and food items and a mobile phone were recovered from the slain poacher, he said.
The ACF said the person shot dead by Forest guards was a poacher as he was carrying equipment needed for killing rhinos and cutting off their horn in KNP.

So far 13 poachers have been killed in encounters this year in the World Heritage Site, he said.