Guwahati, June 22:Two intruders who were a part of 20 armed miscreants who had entered Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam were shot dead on Saturday.
A forest department official said in the wee hours of Saturday, the forest patrolling parties while on rhino protection duty near Saraihagi Anti-Poaching camps confronted a group of 20 armed miscreants near Roumari Beel, under Gorajan Range, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary. When challenged, the intruders attacked with sharp weapons, and the forest team opened fire in self-defense.
“The forest patrolling parties while on duty near Saraihagi anti-poaching camps confronted a group of 20 armed miscreants near Roumari Beel under Gorajan Range of Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary around 1 am tonight (Satruday)… When challenged, the intruders attacked with sharp weapons, and the forest team opened fire in self-defence. Two fatally wounded intruders were taken to the Nagaon BP Civil Hospital where they were decalred dead,” Nagaon Wildlife Division DFO, Jayanta Deka, said.
One forest personnel named Hemkanta Yein also got injury in his chest and waist.
The Sanctuary is located on the southern bank of river Brahmaputra with an area of 70.13 sq. kms. in the district of Nagaon and is a part of Laokhowa -Burachapori eco-system.
Meanwhile, the Forest department has lodged an FIR and police have initiated an investigation as per procedure.
The deceased have been identified as Abdul Jalil Uddin and Sameer Uddin, both of whom are brothers, of Dhingbari Chapari village in Juria.
However, local residents claimed that both brothers Jalil Uddin and Sameer Uddin went to Roumari Beel only for fishing and when they confronted the forest personnel, the forest personnel fired at them resulting in their death on the spot.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has order for a probe in the incident. Taking to his social media handle on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Last night, individuals from Sutirpar village trespassed into Lawkhua-Burachapari Reserve Forest. During an encounter with patrolling forest guards, a guard opened fire in self-defense, resulting in the deaths of Samaruddin (35) and Abdul Jalil (40). I have directed the Chief Secretary of Assam to immediately constitute an inquiry to investigate the incident thoroughly.”
Last night, individuals from Sutirpar village trespassed into Lawkhua-Burachapari Reserve Forest. During an encounter with patrolling forest guards, a guard opened fire in self-defense, resulting in the deaths of Samaruddin (35) and Abdul Jalil (40).
I have directed the Chief…— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 22, 2024
Roumari beel and adjoining grassland areas are one of the most prominent rhino habitats under Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary had a tragic past of rhino poaching, illegal fishing, hunting, and encroachment in the 1980s.
In the mid-1980s, around 45 rhinos were poached to local extinction. Miscreants are known to have attacked forest staff on multiple occasions. For the last two years, the forest department has strengthened the boundaries with additional forest frontline and maintained a strong vigil. It is due to such interventions that 2-3 rhinos that had naturally migrated from Orang Tiger Reserve have moved in the Roumari landscape since October last year.
At present, the police and forest department staff are camping at the site to maintain law and order.
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