Guwahati, Aug 2 (IANS): The police in Assam have foiled an attempt of rhino poaching in the state's Kaziranga National Park, an official said on Tuesday.

In a joint operation by the Crime Investigation Range of the Forest Department in Biswanath district along with police, four persons were apprehended for allegedly planning to kill an one-horned rhino in Kaziranga.

The teams acted on a tip-off received and the joint operation was launched in the Behali area in Biswanath district, where four poachers were arrested on Monday.

The police have informed that Biswanath police Additional Superintendent of police and forest officials led this operation.

The arrested poachers were identified as Ajit Das, Padum Hazarika a.k.a. Dhandu, Dhanidev Saikia, and Dipankar Boro.

Boro is suspected to be a former cadre of the extremist group National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).

The police officer informed that the arrested person Ajit Das was leading the gang and had been planning to kill a rhino in Kaziranga National Park.

Notably, Rhino poaching in Assam was highest in 2013 and 2014, with 27 rhinos poached each year.

In 2015 poachers killed 17 one-horned rhinos and 18 rhinos were killed in 2016 in the state's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

The numbers have decreased since 2017 and according to the state government data, only one rhino was killed by poachers in Kaziranga National Park last year.