Guwahati, Aug 11 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday hailed the success of “Operation Falcon”, a major anti-poaching drive launched in 2024 to protect the iconic one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park.

The operation, a joint initiative of the Assam Police and the Forest Department, deployed every available resource to track down and arrest poachers operating in and around the park.

According to official data, the crackdown led to arrests across several districts: one in Udalguri, eight in Darrang, Nagaon (6), Biswanath (18), Dibrugarh (1), Sonitpur (2), Karbi Anglong (5) and Cachar (1).

Authorities said the poachers were tracked using a combination of extensive on-ground intelligence gathering and sophisticated digital surveillance, enabling forces to close in on their targets with precision.

Investigations under Operation Falcon uncovered a wider criminal network extending beyond Assam’s borders.

Officials identified six major rhino poaching gangs with links to the illegal wildlife trade routed through Myanmar.

The Chief Minister said this revelation confirmed the existence of an organised interstate and international nexus driving rhino poaching in the region.

Significantly, the sustained operation has so far foiled nine poaching attempts, preventing further harm to the park’s rhino population.

“The coordination and spirit of our forces have ensured that these criminals are behind bars,” CM Sarma posted on X.

He credited the synergy between law enforcement and forest officials for the breakthroughs achieved over the past months.

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the world’s largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros and has long been a target for poachers seeking to profit from the high black-market value of rhino horns.

The state government has intensified efforts in recent years to tackle the problem, combining tougher enforcement with technological support.

CM Sarma said Operation Falcon would remain active until poaching is completely wiped out from Assam, underscoring the government’s zero-tolerance approach to wildlife crime.

“Our commitment is to ensure the complete safety of Kaziranga’s rhinos,” he said, vowing that the fight against poaching will continue relentlessly.

–IANS

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