In a major breakthrough, a rhino poacher involved in several cases of illegal rhino horn trade and poaching of other animals primarily at Kaziranga National Park has surrendered before the Kaziranga Deputy Conservator of Forests.
The accused identified as Rahimuddin was arrested on Sunday.
It may be mentioned that Gauhati High Court granted him anticipatory bail in another rhino poaching case. However, after being granted bail, Rahimuddin surrendered in the DFO's office.
In this regard, he was arrested in a separate case. Rahimuddin hails from Nilbagan in the Hojai district.
Meanwhile, Poachers have killed 22 one-horned rhinos in Assam since 2017, the State's Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya told the Assembly on Thursday last.
Nine of the rhinos were killed in 2017, seven in 2018, three in 2019, two in 2020, and one in 2021 so far
Till June 1 this year, 644 poachers have been arrested and at least 25 cases were registered against them.