Forest officials at Kaziranga National Park successfully neutralized an armed poacher after a brief exchange of gunfire, officials confirmed. The incident took place in the Maite Tapu area under the Burapahar Range.
According to sources, the alert was raised following inputs about the movement of armed poachers inside the park. All anti-poaching camps were immediately mobilized to comb the park and seal all exit points. At around 2:50 AM, a river patrolling team noticed a suspicious light coming from an unknown object in Maite Tapu. Upon investigating, the team spotted movement from a group of armed individuals.
When asked to stop and identify themselves, the armed poachers allegedly opened fire on the forest personnel. In response, the team returned controlled fire in self-defense. After the situation was brought under control, additional personnel from headquarters joined the operation to conduct a thorough search of the area. During the search, officials discovered that one unknown poacher had been neutralized in the exchange. 
Recovered from the site were a suspected 303 rifle and a handbag believed to belong to the poacher. Forest officials said that combing operations are ongoing to apprehend any accomplices who may have escaped.
Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a hotspot for poaching in the past, particularly targeting rhinos.
