STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Niren Rangcha was seriously injured last night when a wild pig attacked him in Joypur, known as Bongaon, near the Meghalaya border in the Rani region. Rangcha is currently undergoing treatment at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.
According to a complaint lodged by several villagers, a group from Joypur Bongaon, along with poachers from Meghalaya, ventured into the nearby Tinkhuti Reserve Forest to hunt wild animals. During their illicit activity, a wild pig, shot with a hand-made gun, retaliated and attacked Rangcha. Despite the severity of the incident, the Friday Block Forest Officer, under the Rani Regional Forest Office, allegedly ignored the urgent matter when informed.
Rangcha's companions managed to carry him out of the dense forest and transport him to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the forest department has maintained a stance of ignorance regarding the incident. Rangcha's companions, who were involved in the nighttime poaching expedition, falsely claimed that they were attacked by wild boars while working in the forest.
There are growing suspicions that the poachers also intended to target a wild elephant in the reserve forest area. This incident adds to a series of poaching activities in the region, causing concern among locals about the passive role of the forest department. It is reported that the poachers succeeded in killing the wild boar after Rangcha was injured.
In 2022, poachers hunted elephants in Belguri, near the Meghalaya border, leaving empty gun cartridges at the scene. Despite these repeated incidents, the Rani Forest Department has yet to apprehend any poachers. Critics argue that the department has limited its efforts to celebrating environmental events like World Environment Day, Wildlife Week, and Bon Mahotsav, without addressing the ongoing issue of poaching effectively.
Local residents are increasingly alarmed by the forest department's inaction and the persistent threat to wildlife in the area.
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