Tezpur, April 16: The body of a fisherman was found near the bank of the Jia-Bharali river near Nameri National Park in Sonitpur district of Assam today.

The area falls under Chariduar police station.

The body, recovered from a dense forest of the Burha gaon area in Lakora bank of the Jia-Bharali, is yet to be identified.

According to sources in the forest department, a group of men had gone fishing inside the park, where fishing is restricted. The forest guards opened fire at them.

The divisional forest officer, Sonitpur wildlife division, Pankaj Sharma, told this correspondent that the incident took place inside the park last night.

The state forest department regulates angling and gives permission for fishing only on a select stretch.

"When the forest-protection team came to know about the presence of the menand started the operation in the pitch dark, the rest of the fishermen, except the one whose body was found, fled under the cover of darkness. No other body was found during the search," Sharma said.

Sources said though the forest team is always alert in the restricted area, fishermen had tried to enter the park several times.