Prez suspends jeep safari at Kaziranga after his convoy kills labourer at Bokakhat

GUWAHATI:

President Ram Nath Kovind’s jeep safari was suspended at Bagori range in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on February 26.

This comes in the wake of the unfortunate death of 60-year-old wage labourer, Rameshwar Rabidas, earlier in the day, and the subsequent protest by angry members of the All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS)’s Assam Chapter demanding an acknowledgement of the death by the President and state government.

Rabidas was run over by an escort vehicle following Kovind in upper Assam’s Bokakhat town, who was on his way to KNP after attending the 19^th Convocation at Tezpur University.

The President’s family members, however, went ahead with it at the range, according to Park authorities.

“The first lady, Savita Kovind and daughter, Swati Kovind, visited the Bagori range of the Kaziranga National Park and witnessed the magnificent flora and fauna, unique to the region,” state health minister, Keshab Mahanta, who accompanied them, said.

Taking to the microblogging site, state forest minister, Parimal Suklabaidya said, “It’s a real privilege for me to receive and welcome the President of India at Bokakhat in the presence of chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, including cabinet colleagues Atul Bora and MLA Biswajit Phukan, and other dignitaries (sic).”

He further said that the President’s visit to Kaziranga “will be an enormous boost of morale” for the forest employees and the ground team who have been working tirelessly to curb incidents of rhino poaching in the park.

Notably, Kovind is expected to undertake an elephant safari at Mihimukh on Sunday morning and review the conservation efforts of the National Park in a meeting with high civil, police and forest officials before leaving for New Delhi on Sunday.