Guwahati, July 16: Assam police have deployed two companies of armed personnel near Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora wildlife sanctuary to protect the animals, including the one-horned rhinos, from poachers during the floods.
The special director-general of police (law and order), Kuladhar Saikia, told The Telegraph today that a company of policemen, comprising nearly 70 personnel, has been deployed around Kaziranga to help forest guards.
"As floodwaters inundate the forest area, the animals rush toward the highlands for shelter and poachers take advantage of the situation. Keeping this threat in mind, we rushed the company to Kaziranga last month to increase vigil in vulnerable areas in Jakhlabandha in Nagaon district, Bokakhat in Golaghat and Rong Bong Bey in Karbi Anglong district. We stationed another company in Morigaon district to check poaching in Pobitora wildlife sanctuary and to help the district administration maintain security during distribution of relief materials among the flood-affected," Saikia said.
Kaziranga, spread across 858 square km in Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts, has reported the death of 78 animals this year. The park is situated nearly 200km east of Guwahati. Animals also make their way towards the hills of Karbi Anglong during floods.
"Superintendents of police in the four districts in and around Kaziranga have been asked to be on the lookout for poachers. It is because of our increased vigil that no rhinos have been killed by poachers so far, apart from those killed in floods," he said.
With 2,400 rhinos, Kaziranga is the country's biggest home to one-horned rhinos.
The park has lost at least 60 rhinos in the past three years due to poaching.
Pobitora wildlife sanctuary in Morigaon district, however, has reported no animal deaths during floods this year so far. The park is situated about 60km east of Guwahati and has 93 rhinos.
"We have carried out searches at several vulnerable places of Orang National Park in Darrang, Golaghat and Biswanath districts. The police have been alerted about possible poaching in Manas National Park and other sanctuaries," Saikia said.
Another police official said it was decided to deploy policemen armed with Insas and AK-series rifles as poachers are now armed with sophisticated weapons.
Carcasses: Kaziranga authorities said there were chances of finding more dead animals with the floodwaters receding fast. Of the 78 animals that died in the floods, four were rhino calves, five swamp deer, three wild boars, two porcupines, one sambar, one wild buffalo, one leopard cat and a hog deer.
"Water is receding fast, and there are still chances of finding dead animals," park director Satyendra Singh told The Telegraph.
He said the animals were never cremated, but buried in Panbari reserve forest.
Another official said floodwaters were receding gradually and grassland scene visibility has improved today. "Drones are also being used to monitor animals and watch out for poachers. He said foot patrolling would also continue in every zone of the park.
The official said 52 per cent of the park was still under water, affecting nearly 93 anti-poaching camps .
One rhino strayed to Biswanathghat in Biswanath district in the northern range of the park. The forest officials are guarding the rhino, said the divisional forest officer (East Sonitpur), Rajen Choudhury.
Additional reporting by Pranab Kumar Das in Tezpur
