A joint team of Arunachal Pradesh police and the Assam forest officials on Saturday arrested a rhino poacher here.
The poacher has been identified as Rijen Pegu, who was involved in poaching of a rhinoceros and smuggling of its body part.
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Itanagar SP Tumme Amo said that a few mobile handsets and incriminating documents were recovered from 30-year-old Pegu, who was sent to Kaziranga on a transit remand granted by a local court.
The joint team had worked on case number ER/01 of 2019 registered by the Kaziranga National Park authorities for smuggling of rhino horns.
“The Assam Forest team approached me on Friday afternoon and briefed about the case requesting me to help in Pegu’s arrest,” Amo said, adding that the Capital police team by Sub-Inspector N. Nishant caught Pegu the following day.
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Pegu is the son of Dilipou Pegu of village Pulisomunigaon in Gohpur area of Assam but was residing at Gandhi Market in Itanagar.
He had reportedly sold the horns for Rs. 30 lakh.
The SP also disclosed that the involvement of a few local youths from the State in the illegal rhino horn trade could not be ruled out.
He requested the youths not to be involved in such crimes and direct their efforts and energies for their career and nation-building.
“The matter was not disclosed to the media on Saturday as there was fear that some associates of the arrested person might attack the Assam Forest team on their way back to Kaziranga,” Amo said.
The Assam Forest department has appreciated the Capital police for their prompt action.