An adult male rhinoceros was shot dead by forest guards in self-defence at Assam’s Kaziranga National Park on Monday, reported PTI. Kaziranga Divisional Forest Officer Rohini Ballab Saikia said the animal attacked an eight-member patrol party at 7 pm at the Agratoli range.
Initially, the guards fired in the air to chase away the rhino. But after it did not retreat, “they were forced to fire at the animal in self-defence”, said Saikia. The rhinoceros died on the spot after which senior park and forest officials went to the site.
In a similar incident in September 2017, a forest guard killed an adult rhino after it attacked a team on duty, reported Northeast Now. In 2016, another adult male rhino had died in the Agratoli forest after a forest guard opened fire in self-defence.
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