Assam Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma on Sunday doubted involvement of forest officials’ involvement in rhino poaching in the State and held the forest range officer concerned responsible for the poaching incident at Polokata Tapu in Biswanath.
A rhino was killed by poachers at Polokata Tapu in the Sixth Addition of the Kaziranga National Park in Biswanath district on Saturday midnight.
Brahma, who reached the spot on Sunday evening where poachers killed a male rhino and took away its horn said, incidents of rhino poaching can’t happen without involvement of some forest officials.
She instructed the Divisional Forest Officer of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) to take action against the range officer of the Northern Range of the KNP.
While talking to the media after visiting the Sixth Addition of the KNP and Polokata Tapu, which is a totally deserted area, about 200 metre from Lahorijan forest camp, said, “Our government had assured the public before coming to power that we would give full protection to the wild animals, but now we are failing to fulfil it due to some forest officials.”
She vehemently criticised the forest officials stating that many of them are involved in doing politics instead of fully engaging themselves in their respective duties and “they have been failing to protect the animals”.
Brahma also pointed that the rhino was shot in an open area, sounds of several rounds of bullets were heard and the poachers easily took away its horn.
However, despite several attempts the Forest minister could not be contacted on Monday.
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