Overview
- Police and forest teams arrested four people in Papum Pare district and seized a suspected rhino horn during a joint raid in Hollongi and nearby areas of Assam.
- A case is registered at Balijan Police Station, and investigators are examining whether the suspects are tied to interstate or international smuggling.
- Police said the accused claimed the horn was worth about Rs 1.2 crore on the illegal market.
- Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung praised the operation and framed it as part of a push to curb wildlife crime.
- Conservation groups including WWF and the IUCN report that poaching and habitat loss continue to threaten rhinos, keeping demand for horn high and fueling trafficking.