Darjeeling: The carcass of an adult rhinoceros has been recovered from Gorumara National Forest in the Jalpaiguri district. The horn of the rhino had been sawed off giving rise to the doubt that the animal was killed by poachers.
During a routine patrol on Tuesday, forest personnel sighted the carcass in the Garati area under the Gorumara beat. The carcass of the adult rhino — around 25 years of age — was found on the grasslands on the bank of Jaldhaka river.
Forest personnel claim the adult male rhino had been shot at least two days ago following which the valuable horn had been sawed off.
Foresters feel that poachers taking advantage of the dense fog had shot the rhino. There were bullet injuries on his body.
The poachers must have tracked the movement of the rhino for quite some time, feel wildlife experts. Poachers usually choose spots where rhinos go to defecate. Sniffer dogs were brought in. However, after a certain area the dogs lost the scent owing to the dense jungle.
"We believe that poachers are behind the death of the adult rhino. We have started an investigation. However, no one has been apprehended yet in connection with this incident," stated Ujjwal Ghosh, Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife North.
Incidentally on April 21, 2017, the decomposed carcasses of two rhinos was found in the same locality. The horns of the rhinos had been sawed off. On investigation, it was found that the rhinos had been killed by Manipuri poachers on April 19, 2017.
The case had been handed over to the CID.
The CID sleuths had come to know that the Manipuri poachers were aided by some locals of a forest village. The poachers had been hiding in Ramsai forest village from where they had planned out the poaching operation in 2017.
With this incident coming to the forefront, the forest villages of the area have come under scanner.