Guwahati: A person accused of poaching who fled police custody was found dead near a riverbank in Kaziranga on Friday.
A forest source claimed that the person was arrested from Sarupathar in Golaghat on February 7 for allegedly poaching a rhino in January this year.
He has been suspected to be the gunman in the recent rhino poaching that took place in Kaziranga’s Kohora.
The person identified as Uttam Khaklary told the police that he would show them locations inside the forest where he had hidden suspected arms, ammunition and a rubber boat used to kill the rhino.
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But, during their movement towards the said location, he pushed one of the policemen and jumped into the river.
Although the police tried to track him he managed to flee.
However, on Friday, the police claimed that they found him dead.
The police source further informed that he was not sure if the person was shot during his escape attempt by the police personnel present on site.
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The source also stated that his body was identified by the family members but if he was shot or the actual cause of death will be ascertained only after the post-mortem report.