Assam journalist brutally attacked by rhino from Kaziranga National Park

Guwahati: In a tragic incident, Baskar Rajkhowa, a video journalist of a private news channel was gored by a rhino that had ventured outside the flood-hit Kaziranga National Park and taken shelter at the Hatikhuli tea estate.

According to reports, the rhino charged the journalist while he was filming the rhino that had ventured close to human-inhabited lands. The rhino, espying the journalist in the distance, began charging towards him. Rajkhowa, who was unable to flee in time, sustained grievous injuries in the attack that followed.

The locals rushed him to the health centre at the tea estate from where he was taken to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) for his treatment. Rajkhowa, who hails from the Koilakhat village of Bokakhat under Golaghat district is associated with a local news channel. Meanwhile, officials have reached the area to taken stock of the situation.

This incident has been reported at a time when much of the Kaziranga National Park has been submerged under floodwaters, with many of the animals seeking to move towards the higher ground in a bid to escape the flood fury.

The Kaziranga National Park in Assam, the largest home to the one-horned rhinoceros in India, was almost completely flooded on Monday when 95 per cent of the Kaziranga park's 430 square kilometre area was submerged by floodwater. At least 51 wild animals were confirmed dead, 100 had been rescued and many tigers and rhinos strayed into nearby villages. Meanwhile, the traffic movement on the National Highway-37 near Kaziranga has also been suspended.

Severe flooding has been reported in 27 of the 33 districts across Assam and the deluge is affecting nearly 22 lakh people. The total death count in this year's floods touched 50 after 6 more people lost their lives on Monday, July 14.

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