The Hindu : National : Kaziranga park staff strike work

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Thursday, Mar 19, 2009
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Kaziranga park staff strike work

Sushanta Talukdar

Guwahati: Forest staff of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) went on a snap strike on Wednesday to protest alleged physical attacks on park officials and staff by two militant-turned-legislators on Tuesday.

KNP director S.N. Buragohain told The Hindu that the independent MLA from Bokakhat constituency, Jiten Gogoi, and independent MLA from Thowra, Kushal Duori, went on the rampage and assaulted and intimidated Forest Ranger Dharanidhar Boro and other staff when they tried to stop them from illegal fishing inside the park area.

The two were militants of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) once.

Mr. Buragohain alleged that the legislators, accompanied by their Personal Security Officers, also pointed a weapon at the ranger and damaged forest properties apart from inflicting physical assault on Mr. Boro and other park personnel.

Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) of Bokakhat, Mridul Mahanta, said tourists could not visit the park on Wednesday due to non-cooperation by the park staff.

The Park authorities lodged two FIRs at the Golaghat police station. Police have registered cases against the accused legislators under Sections 147, 148, 149, 353, 427 of the Indian Penal Code read with Section 27 clause 2 of the Arms Act and Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act for their alleged threat, assault and intimidation.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here that he would call for a detailed report and ensure that the law took its own course.

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