Three rhino poachers killed in Kaziranga

Guwahati: Three rhino poachers were killed in Assam's Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday.

Following a tip-off, forest guards of the park had launched operation inside the park under Agoratoli forest range where three poachers were killed during gun fight with forest guards.

"We informed that, a poacher group entered inside the national park for killing rhino. The poacher group had sheltered near the Nalani and Duramari forest camp. When forest guards reached the area poachers had started fire and exchanging bullets in which three poachers killed on spot, " a park official said.

Forest guards recovered two 303 rifles, one silencer near the slain poachers.

Poachers had killed at least ten one horned rhinoceros in the state this year so far including eight rhinos alone in Kaziranga.

Assam forest minister Atuwa Munda had given instructions to the forest officials to take stern action against poachers.

Reporting by: Hemanta Kumar Nath