Two home guards were found murdered and another seriously injured inside the Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve in West Champaran district of Bihar on Sunday.
Police said a group of home guards had gone inside the reserve under the Gobarhiyadon police station to track some wood smugglers.
The smugglers, said to be 25 to 30 in number, suddenly attacked them and slit the throats of two. “One guard was seriously injured in the attack and has been admitted to a hospital…combing operation has been launched in the area to nab the killers, ” said district police superintendent Arvind Kumar Gupta.
‘No arms, just lathi’
The two slain home guards are Arjun Yadav, 35, and Lala Kushwaha, 38. Their injured colleague was identified as Pradeep Mahto. “We have been deputed at the Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve area without arms…we carry just a lathi to defend ourselves...how can we fight armed smugglers or even dangerous animals with just a lathi?...we demand compensation for those killed and injured,” said a home guard there.