Guwahati: Golaghat Police on Wednesday apprehended two persons in the Bokakhat town of Assam's district and seized one rhino horn from their possession.
Based on a specific input, the police carried out a search operation against wildlife crime at Mohimaiki under Bokakhat and nabbed the both accused named Bhokto Bahadur Thapa and Budheshwar Shinte alias Budhai Shinte.
Taking to the micro-blogging site Twitter, the Golaghat police said, ''Based on a specific input, #TeamBokakhat, conducted search operation against #WildlifeCrime at Mohimaiki under Bokakhat PS. 02 person arrested & recovered 01 suspected #RhinoHorn. Legal action initiated.''
As per reports, Thapa has hidden the smuggled rhino horn weighing around 2 kg inside a bag at his house in Sipahi Village of Bokakhat town.
Notably, Thapa has been associated with rhino paoching in the past as well.
Meanhwile, legal action has been initiated against them.
Earlier in September 2021, the biggest-ever stockpile of rhino horns was consigned to flames at Bokakhat on World Rhino Day amidst the chanting of hymns and the blowing of conch shells to dispel the myths associated with rhino horns.
The State Government burnt 2,479 rhino horns in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a public function to bust that rhino horns have amazing medicinal value.
Sarma said that today is a historic day for Assam and India as an extraordinary step to burn the largest-ever stockpile of 2,479 rhino horns has been taken, the highest in the world, pursuing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of putting an end to poaching in the state."
"We would respect and love the rhinos alive and protect them in their natural habitats. A one-horned rhino is not only integral to our civilization but also a symbol of our prized heritage and identity. We are preserving 94 rhino horns for display at a museum to be set up at the Kaziranga National Park," Sarma said.
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