Rhino killed in Assam park

Guwahati: A one-horned rhino died in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam`s Golaghat district when a forest guard fired at it in self defence, an official said Friday.

The incident took place in the Bagori range Thursday night. The dead rhino was a male adult. "The rhino charged at a group of forest guards who opened blank fire to stop it. The bullet hit the rhino and it died on the spot," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Suresh Chand told IANS. "It is a very unfortunate incident," he said. About 15 days back a forest guard was severely injured in the park after being attacked by a charging rhino. The guard is still being treated at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. On Aug 20, poachers killed a rhino in the park and took away its horn. The park, spread over 860 sq km, is a Unesco world heritage site. Heavy floods in June this year killed close to 700 animals including rhinos and elephants. IANS