1913 of 2018 rhino horns examined in Assam

Barpeta: A total of 1,913 of the 2,018 rhino horns stored in various treasuries of Assam have been examined so far by a panel which completed the checking of Barpeta treasury on Wednesday.

The with Rhino Verification Committee (RVC) has examined rhino horns in Golaghat (1193), Tezpur (56), Mangaldoi (59), Nagaon(550), Morigaon (22) and Barpeta (22), according to an official statement.

The condition of rhino horns in Barpeta treasury is not good as dampness from the old treasury building has damaged most of them, it said.

Three of the horns are in soiled condition and their composition could not be ascertained by the Forensic Science Laboratory test and therefore their samples were sent for DNA testing, it added.

The committee will check Guwahati treasury containing 99 rhino horns tomorrow, the statement said, adding that the Barpeta treasury contains horns from Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.

In Tezpur, a box stated to contain three rhino horns have not yet been checked due to its missing key and Nalbari treasury has one rhino horn.

Verification of horns is done to check their genuineness and updating the complete inventory of horns kept in various treasuries in the custody of Assam government since 1980.