Guwahati: Amid intensifying crackdown against poachers, Kaziranga National Park lost second rhino within a week on Sunday. With the latest poaching, Kaziranga has lost nine rhinos to poachers this year.Recently, the government suspended Kaziranga director Mufakkar Ali on charge of "negligent in his duties pertaining to protection of rhinos." The spurt in poaching has led the newly elected state government to act tough on curbing the menace. The poachers killed a female rhino and took away the horn in the Bagori forest range of Kaziranga.The first incident had happened while forest minister Promila Rani Brahma was on a visit to Kaziraga , a World Heritage Site about 250 km from here, to take stock of anti-poaching measures on Tuesady this week. The police have arrested one poacher in this case and the search is on for others.Since January, four poachers have been killed in encounter by forest officials while over 17 have been arrested.In the latest incident of poaching, park authorities said that the gang of poachers sneaked into the park from the northern banks of Brahmaputra.

Source: Times of India June 19, 2016 14:02 UTC