Poaching of rhino on rise, Assam wants CBI to probe

The Assam government has asked the Centre to order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the rising incidents of rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park and other places of Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Sunday.

"There may be a political conspiracy behind the killings. This and the involvement of some insurgent elements, forest department personnel or others with poachers will be unearthed by the CBI probe," Gogoi said. Meanwhile, the CID has been roped in to probe seven poaching cases and supervise another four.

Earlier the government had termed the frequent incidents of rhino poaching as a "conspiracy of certain forces with vested interest".

The forest department had on Thursday suspended two of its officers and given show-cause notices to two others following the killing of two rhinos in the Kaziranga National Park. It had also removed three home guards for 'dereliction of duty'.

In 2013, seven rhinos have been killed, of which four were killed in a week since Tuesday.

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