The crackdown on the northeast poaching nexus continues as the Anti-Corruption cell of the Assam Police raided a Divisional Forest Officer's residence to find Rs 2 crore and 7 lakh worth cash, gold, jewellery along with tiger and deer skins.

The officer, Mahat Chandra Talukdar, has been posted in Dhemaji district in eastern Assam since 2014, has faced extortion charges before. It also during his tenure as the DFO at the Kaziranga National Park that a record 184 rhinos were reportedly poached.

PTI

In 1989, while Talukdar was serving as a ranger in Agartali range of the Kaziranga National Park, 42 rhinos were poached in and around the range. In 1992, 29 more rhinos were killed and their horns robbed while Talukdar was still serving as a ranger in that region of the Park.

Later when Talukdar was shifted to the Bagari range in 1992-1993, 89 rhinos were poached from the region.

These findings along with the deer and tiger skin discovered at his house during the raid clearly show that Talukdar has been playing a major role in the poaching nexus from Kaziranga and other parts of the country with China and Myanmar.

PTI

The raid by the Anti Corruption Cell was conducted simultaneously on his Guwahati and his Dhemaji residences.

The latest incident of rhino poaching took place while the Minister of Forest Affairs was visiting the Kaziranga National Park. Earlier, a rhino had been poached hours after the British royal couple's visit to increase global awareness for rhino conservation.

Rhino poaching had become the main agenda for people at the Assam election earlier this year with the people demanding action against the poachers and a safer life for Assam's one-horned rhinoceros.

PTI

Talukdar has been sent to police custody for five days by a court of special judge on Saturday.