Latest news with #SonaliGhosh
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
‘Poacher' shot dead in KNPTR during encounter, AK-56 recovered
1 2 3 Guwahati: Based on specific inputs of poachers entering the park with sophisticated weapons, the KNPTR security force and police, in a joint operation, killed a suspected poacher on Wednesday night. An AK-56 rifle and 11 rounds of live ammunition were also recovered from the possession of the unidentified individual. This is the second such instance of a suspected poacher being killed in KNPTR within a month. "Before the monsoon rain inundates the park, such poaching attempts are being taken. Nearly a month later it will not be easy to enter," said a senior police official. KNPTR authorities said while one individual was killed during their encounter with the suspected poachers, they had also recovered weapons. "The poachers are getting desperate. They are attempting to enter, but we have thwarted their efforts proactively," KNPTR field director Sonali Ghosh said. DFO of eastern assam wildlife division, Arun Vignesh, said, "We could not identify the individual. Most likely, he is not from a nearby area. If he was from nearby villages, he would have been identified by now," Vignesh said. Issuing a press release, KNPTR authorities said approximately at 8 pm on Wednesday evening, the range officer of eastern range (Agaratoli) received credible information regarding an armed attack on front-line staff, stationed at Balidubi Camp, by unidentified poachers. In response, all forest camps in the vicinity were immediately placed on high alert and additional security teams were swiftly deployed. The statement further read, a team, consisting of forest security personnel and local police, reached the Dhanbari area at around 10:30 pm and detected suspicious movement of armed individuals. "The team issued a warning, instructing the suspects to stop and identify themselves. In response, the armed poachers opened fire on the security personnel. Exercising utmost restraint, the team returned controlled fire in self-defence," the statement read. The individual was immediately transferred to the nearby Swahid Kamala Miri Civil Hospital at Bokakhat, where he was declared brought dead, the release said. A comprehensive search operation is underway to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the incident, the statement read.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Assam: Suspected poacher killed in encounter in Kaziranga
Forest rangers in Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) gunned down a suspected poacher during an encounter on Wednesday night, officials confirmed on Thursday. The deceased, who is yet to be identified, was killed in the Agaratoli range of the park, which is the world's largest habitat of the endangered one-horned rhinocerous. This is the second such incident in KNPTR this month after another poacher was killed on May 21. 'On May 28, at approximately 8pm, the range officer, eastern range (Agaratoli) received credible information regarding an armed attack on frontline staff stationed at Balidubi camp by unidentified poachers. In response, all forest camps in the vicinity were immediately placed on high alert, and additional security teams were swiftly deployed to the area,' KNPTR director Sonali Ghosh said in an official statement on Thursday. A joint search operation was initiated by the forest department and local Police. At around 10:30 pm,when the joint team reached the Dhanbari area, they detected some suspicious movement, consistent with the presence of armed individuals. 'The team issued a warning, instructing the suspects to stop and identify themselves. In response, the armed poachers opened fire on the security personnel. Exercising utmost restraint, the joint team returned controlled fire in self-defense,' the statement read. According to officials, the exchange of fire continued for approximately 30 minutes. The operation resulted in the discovery of one unidentified, injured armed individual, who was found in possession of an AK-56 rifle and 11 rounds of live ammunition. Another .303 rifle with 3 rounds of live ammunition, a bag containing an axe, food items, and a torch were recovered from the scene. The injured individual was immediately transported to Swahid Kamala Miri Civil Hospital, Bokakhat, where he was declared dead on arrival. 'A comprehensive search operation is ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the incident,' the statement added. The park, which had a record footfall of over 443,000 tourists in the 2024-25 season, was closed on May 19 as part of the annual shutdown ahead of monsoon.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Time of India
Over 1,000 villagers kill a tiger in Assam, dismember the body, take legs, ears, teeth as trophies
Villagers armed with machetes, spears Forest officials attacked Live Events One arrest, investigation underway Officials and MLA condemn killing (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A mob of around 1,000 villagers killed a Royal Bengal tiger on Thursday morning in Dusutimukh village in Assam's Golaghat district, about 20 km from Kaziranga National Park , a TOI report stated. The villagers claimed the tiger had killed one man and attacked livestock in recent weeks. The incident took place between 8 am and 9 am, according to forest mob chased the tiger into a wooded area. Armed with machetes, spears, and iron rods, they killed and dismembered the animal. Forest officials said its legs, ears, teeth, and patches of skin were removed as trophies before authorities reached the is the third reported tiger death in Assam this year, after carcasses were found in Orang National Park and the Biswanath Wildlife Division. Assam recorded 227 tigers in the last official census in forest personnel were injured while trying to stop the mob. Golaghat Divisional Forest Officer Gunadip Das confirmed the tiger died from sharp weapon injuries, not gunshots. Forest staff later conducted an autopsy, and the remains were cremated at the Golaghat range said villagers had known about the tiger's presence since early May and had prepared weapons in advance. The search for the tiger began around 6 am on Thursday, after locals received information about its have registered a case and arrested one person. Authorities say more arrests are likely as the investigation Field Director Sonali Ghosh said the origin of the tiger is still being verified. Local MLA Mrinal Saikia condemned the mob's actions. 'It was a very painful act. Earth is not only for humans, it is for animals as well. Wild animals also need space,' he said. He urged strong action against those are listed as "endangered" on the IUCN Red List. Under India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, hunting, poaching, and trading of tiger parts is illegal.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- BBC News
Assam: Village mob kills Royal Bengal tiger in India's north east
A Royal Bengal tiger was killed and dismembered by a mob in India's north eastern state of Assam, a forest official has residents from a village in the Golaghat district reportedly took the step because the tiger had killed livestock in the area and posed a threat to their lives. The state's forest department has registered a of man-animal conflict are not new to Assam. This is the third tiger killing that has been reported this year. Top forest official Gunadeep Das told Times of India newspaper that the tiger had died from sharp wounds and not carcass was later recovered in the presence of a magistrate, reports say. Mr Das told a local newspaper that "around a thousand people had gathered to kill the tiger" and that some of them attacked the tiger with machetes. He added that the tiger's carcass had been sent for an Saikia, a lawmaker from Assam state condemned the killing on X. He shared a video that showed the purported dead body of the tiger with parts of its skin, face and legs missing. The BBC has not independently verified the video. "This is a very painful act. The Earth is not only for humans, it is for animals as well," he said in the post, adding that strict action will be taken against those involved in the forest official, Sonali Ghosh told local media that the origins of the tiger were unclear. According to reports, the animal was killed about 20km (12 miles) away from the Kaziranga National data by Assam's forest department shows the population of tigers in the state has steadily increased from just 70 in 2006 to 190 in 2019 due to various conservation instances of tigers being killed due to conflict with villagers have been often reported in the media, which could be because of shrinking habitat and lack of protection of tiger corridors between different national parks in the state. Tigers are a protected species under India's Wildlife Protection Act (1972), which prohibits poaching, hunting and trade of tiger parts.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Kaziranga becomes 3rd most visited national park with 35% tourist surge
Guwahati: and Tiger Reserve (KNP&TR) has emerged as India's third most visited national park, behind only Periyar (Kerala) and Ranthambore (Rajasthan). The park recorded 443,636 visitors from Oct 1 last year to May 18, marking a 35% overall increase and a 25% rise in foreign tourists. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Field director Sonali Ghosh attributed this surge to high-profile visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and over 60 Heads of Mission accompanied by external affairs minister S Jaishankar. She highlighted the significant 18,463 foreign visitors as evidence of Kaziranga's growing reputation as a symbol of conservation and premier destination for wildlife enthusiasts. "Kaziranga's tourism boom stems from diverse activities, improved infrastructure, high-profile visits, strategic marketing, successful conservation efforts, economic benefits, and the park's natural appeal," Ghosh said. Infrastructure upgrades including better roads, eco-friendly accommodations, and enhanced visitor amenities have made the park more accessible, she said. Under chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's leadership, Kaziranga has established itself among global tourism destinations, she added, saying, "The Assam govt has prioritised and incentivised electric safari vehicles in its recent budget." Aggressive marketing campaigns and govt-led initiatives have promoted Kaziranga as a premier destination, she said, adding that hosting major events such as the International Tourism Mart from Nov 26 to 29 last year also increased its global appeal. The park's successful conservation of the one-horned rhinoceros continues to attract wildlife enthusiasts while stimulating the local economy through job creation in hospitality, transport, and handicrafts sectors. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She highlighted that proactive efforts have promoted off-beat tourism in buffer areas: "From cycling at Laokhowa during silk-cotton tree blooms to boat safaris across the Brahmaputra and specialised birding trails, we've focused on wellness and outdoor experiences." "A key initiative was establishing eco-shops operated by the Kaziranga Staff Welfare Society, providing markets for eco-friendly products from local Eco Development Committees," she added. The park closes for tourists from Monday until the next tourism season.
