Staff reporter
GUWAHATI, Jan 17 – In a sensational development, a poacher hailing from Manipur was arrested along with firearms from inside the Assam State Zoo campus on the night of January 14.The arrested poacher – identified as H Chinkhansong and aged around 50 years – has confessed to entering the zoo with the motive of killing a rhino and making good his escape with the horn. A 303 rifle, six rounds of live ammunition, a machete and an axe were seized from him.
The poacher hails from Churachandpur district of Manipur.
He was produced before the court on Monday which remanded him to five days’ police custody.
Zoo Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Utpal Bora told The Assam Tribune that the poacher entered the zoo campus by climbing a boundary wall around 11-30 in the night.
“However, an alert was immediately sounded after our five-member mobile squad noticed the trespasser and asked him to stop. The intruder hid himself in some bushes and even challenged the guards, threatening to open fire. Later he was overpowered and apprehended,” he said.
Bora said that the person had been handed over to police. “We want to prosecute him under the Wildlife Protection Act, and a strong case is being prepared for the purpose,” he added.
