GAUHATI, India (AP) — The newly elected government of the northeast Indian state of Assam is launching new plans to crack down on the poaching of the area's famed one-horned rhinos.

The state's Kaziranga National Park is home to the world's largest population of the rare rhinos. While overall poaching deaths have dropped over the last few years, a series of rhino killings this year has led the new government to renew its anti-poaching efforts.

The state's newly appointed environment minister, Pramila Rani Brahma, said Saturday that local police have been asked to join the offensive against poaching. Previously, Kaziranga's forest rangers and anti-poaching staff handled this responsibility on their own.

Brahma said allegations that some park staff may be involved in the trade in rhino parts were also being investigated.