Forest officials and police arrested a 42-year-old man during a late-night raid in Biswanath district, with an investigation underway into the suspected wildlife offence
Gohpur: Forest officials recovered a suspected rhinoceros horn and seven pieces of swamp deer antlers during a late-night raid at a residence in Baligaon, Gohpur, in Assam’s Biswanath district.
The operation was conducted around 11.30 pm on October 26 by a joint team comprising the Forest Crime Investigation team of the Eastern Range under the Biswanath Wildlife Division and Biswanath Police, following intelligence about the alleged illegal possession of wildlife articles.
Officials arrested Dipen Pegu, 42, in connection with the suspected offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. According to the Forest Department, Pegu has previously been involved in wildlife-related offence cases.
Both rhinoceroses and swamp deer are listed under Schedule I of the Act, which provides the highest level of legal protection to wildlife species in India.
The seizure followed coordinated action by the Biswanath Wildlife Division and Biswanath Police under the Assam Forest Department’s Biswanath Wildlife Division, Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Further investigation is underway to establish the origin of the suspected horn and antlers and determine whether the case has links to a wider wildlife trafficking network.
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