Guwahati: A notorious rhino poacher, identified as Hanif Ali, was apprehended in Assam’s Sonitpur district in a joint operation conducted by the Forest Department, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and Assam Police. The operation led to the dismantling of an illegal network involved in the trading of animal body parts.
Hanif Ali, implicated in multiple rhino poaching cases, was captured in the Bharali Chapori area of Sonitpur district, North Assam. Officials seized various animal body parts, including a rhino horn, from his possession.
B. Piraisoodan, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Western Assam Wildlife Division, stated, “Efforts are underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the rhino’s death and horn removal.”
This arrest follows a similar incident in January, where another rhino poacher was detained along with an AK-47 rifle used in poaching activities.
The crackdown comes in the wake of Assam’s first rhino poaching incident of 2024, discovered on January 22 at Kaziranga National Park, involving the carcass of an adult female rhino with a missing horn. Law enforcement swiftly acted, leading to the arrest of the perpetrator within four days.
The decline in rhino poaching in Assam has been notable since the BJP government assumed power. In 2022, after a hiatus of 45 years, no rhino poaching incidents were reported in the state.
This latest arrest underscores ongoing efforts to combat wildlife crime and protect endangered species in Assam. It should be mentioned that during the UPA regime and Congress rule in Assam from 2004 to 2016, a staggering 152 one-horned rhinos fell victim to poaching activities. However, under the governance of the BJP, spanning the last eight years, this grim trend has seen a dramatic reversal, with the number of rhino poaching incidents plummeting to just 23. This significant decline underscores the proactive measures and robust enforcement efforts undertaken by the BJP government to safeguard the endangered rhino population in Assam.
