Guwahati, Jan. 27: A rhino was found dead, its horn gouged out, at Lahori chapori, 25km from Kaziranga National Park this morning, nearly a week after it strayed out of its habitat.

Yesterday’s killing takes the rhino toll in Assam to four in the last one month.

The hornless carcass was spotted by a group of fishermen, who informed the forest department.

The killing came two days after poachers gouged out the horn of a rhino at Orang National Park while it was still alive. The rhino succumbed to its injuries on Monday night.

A source in the forest department said rhino-horn buyers with international links were camping near the two national parks.

A forest official at Kaziranga confirmed that the rhino killed yesterday had strayed out of the national park about a week ago. “Forest guards had been keeping track of the rhino but it went missing for the last couple of days,” the official said.

Last night, forest guards at Bonkwal camp heard gunshots at Mandir chapori, near Lahore chapori, one of the several sandbars on the Brahmaputra. “We conducted an operation last night but failed to find either the rhino or the group of poachers,” the official said.

Fishermen spotted the rhino this morning.