Eight people arrested with Rhino horn

Bongaigaon : A pistol with one live bullet and a Rhino horn were seized by Bongaigaon police from a group of eight miscreants during a routine road checking on 27-08-07 at Bongaigaon, around 200 kms away from Guwahati.

There is a good market for the horns of Rhinos--sold to make medicines, aphrodisiacs, or the decorative handles of daggers. Rhino horn can be sold throughout Asia and the Middle East, for up to $37,000 (Rs. 1.5 million) per kilo, which encourages poachers.

This year poachers have killed at least 12 one-horned rhinos at the sanctuary and it was the first time in a decade that the number of rhinos killed in a year had hit double figures, officials said.