India: Four poachers were arrested by the Nagaon police, who also led police to Karbi-anglong jungle where they had hidden arms and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles, used in killing rhinos in Kaziranga National Park.

All the accused hail from Churachandpur district of Manipur.

Nagaon superintendent of police Shankar Barata Raimedhi said acting on a tip-off, three of the accused were apprehended from a Churachandpur-bound bus at Jorabat on the outskirts here late on Saturday night while the fourth accused was picked up from a house in the Satgaon area of the city.

The accused were identified as Biaklal, Jamlun, James Liankhanmung and Liankhansuan.

Liankhansuan, who was arrested from Satgaon, claimed to be a retired army man and his claim is being verified by the police.

After a thorough grilling, they confessed to have buried arms and ammunition in a forest under Anjokpani police station of Karbi Anglong district and led the police to the spot.

“After the spot was dug up on Sunday, the police team found two AK-47 rifles, six magazines and more than 200 rounds of live ammunition,” Raimedhi said.

The accused admitted to have killed an adult male rhino at Burapahar range of Kaziranga on May 10 and took away its horn, he added.

“We suspect they have killed more rhinos and our investigation is on,” he said.

Raimedhi said the poachers were returning home after concealing their arms as floods are approaching and during floods it becomes difficult to poach rhinos in Kaziranga. “They had plans to come back in winter.”

(Source: The northeast Today)