Boko, Jan 26: The Assam Forest Department apprehended a poacher from Sukurberiya Reserved Forest along the Assam-Meghalaya border on Friday. Samir Ali, an official from the department, revealed that a tip-off had alerted them about a group of armed poachers entering the dense forest.
“We launched a search operation in the Sukurberiya Reserved Forest area under Rani Forest Range, setting an ambush. While one poacher was caught, two others managed to escape,” Ali stated. The apprehended poacher, identified as Marcus Marbaniyang from Mairang, Meghalaya, was found in possession of a rifle and a mobile phone. The phone contained videos of bird poaching in the jungle.
A case has been registered under Section 24 and 25 of the Assam Forest Regulation Act, 1891, and Sections 9 and 57 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. While locals appreciated the department’s efforts, they called for advanced equipment to strengthen anti-poaching operations.
In the past two years, two elephants were killed in Rani Forest Range, raising concerns about the extent of poaching in the area. The investigation is ongoing, and the apprehended poacher has been sent to judicial custody.
