Dimapur, October 1 (MExN): A former Nagaland MLA has reportedly been named as a buyer by a businessman from Karbi Anglong district in Assam, who was arrested for his involvement in rhino horn smuggling. The man who was arrested in Diphu on September 28 by the Kaziranga National Park authorities claimed that he had sold a broken piece of rhino horn to a former MLA in Nagaland in August.
According to a report by the Times of India (TOI), Assistant Conservator of Forest Pirai B said, “The man, identified as Mansingh Terang of Diphu in Karbi Anglong district, confessed to selling a broken piece of rhino horn to a former MLA in Nagaland. He also met the wife of the ex-legislator while handing it over.”
As per the report, Kaziranga forest staff have arrested 11 rhino horn smugglers over the past few days, among which are two staffers of Kaziranga and three social workers associated with various wildlife protection and conservation activities at the national park.
The rhino horn was initially recovered by 2 forest staffers during patrolling. Subsequently, they handed over the horn to Rameswar Signar, a social worker, in Ingley Pathar village of Karbi Anglong district, close to Kaziranga, DFO (Kaziranga) Ramesh Gogoi said, according to TOI. Rameswar, with the help of two others, then gave it to Terang who later reportedly sold it to the former Nagaland MLA.
A forest officer reportedly engaged in the investigation said “Our investigation is on to recover the horn. We believe the probe is on the right track and some political leaders in Nagaland may get exposed.”
