A rhino poacher was killed in an encounter with forest guards at the Kaziranga National Park early today.

A group of poachers at the the Kanchanjuri camp fired on the Kaziranga National Park Protection Force with one of the poachers being killed in the retaliatory firing, KNP Range Officer (Bagori Range) Prodipto Baruah said.

"They fired at the forest force and tried to flee. One poacher was killed in the return fire. He was identified as 24-year-old Bali Mili," Baruah said.

The encounter took place near the Kanchanguri forest camp under Bagori Range around 7-8 km from the NH-37.

A .303 rifle and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from the encounter site, he added.

A search was on for the other poachers with one of them suspected to have been wounded in the firing.