Guwahati, 29 May

A man, suspected to be a poacher, was killed in an encounter with forest guards and police in Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, an official of the park said on Thursday.

Firearms and ammunition were also recovered from the encounter spot, the official said.

Acting on specific information of a possible armed attack by poachers on the frontline staff stationed at Balidubi camp in the Agoratoli range of the park, a joint operation was launched by the police and the forest department on Wednesday night.

All forest camps near the area were put on high alert, and additional security personnel deployed in the area, the official said.

At around 10.30 pm, the joint team detected suspicious movement near the Dhanbari area and issued a warning to the poachers who in turn fired at the security personnel.

The security personnel retaliated, and the exchange of fire continued for nearly half an hour before the poachers fled the spot.

During the search operation following the encounter, an unidentified and injured individual was found and immediately taken to Swahid Kamala Miri Civil Hospital in Bokakhat, where he was declared dead on arrival by the medical officer.

The security personnel recovered an AK-56 rifle and 11 rounds of live ammunition, a .303 rifle with three rounds of live ammunition, a bag containing an axe, food items, and a torch were recovered from the spot.

The official said that search operations were on to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the incident.