Kaziranga, May 31: Villagers staged protests at Kaziranga National Park (KNP) director’s office against the alleged killing of a local, who authorities claimed was a poacher.
People of Amtenga village of Assam’s Golaghat district staged the dharna claiming that the man, identified as Rahul Kutum, was not a poacher but was negotiating with dealers for supplying wood when he was killed in the Park, official sources said.
The demonstrators also filed an FIR that the man was killed by forest guards as he was pointed out as a poacher by a local informer.
On May 20, four poachers were killed by forest guards inside KNP in an encounter between Mihimukh and Baghpara camp in Kohora range of the Park.
Though three of the poachers are yet to be identified, the fourth was Kutum, who, according to police, was providing logistic support to them.
–Agencies