Eight arrested with two rhino horns in Chitwan

KATHMANDU: Eight persons have been arrested with two rhino horns from Chitwan National Park (CNP) in Chitwan.

The national park administration had deployed a team of CNP officials, Nepal Army personnel, as well as personnel of the Crime Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police to nab poachers after two rhinos were killed by trapping them in separate pits in the national park. The team arrested six from Rapti Municipality-3 and two from Bhandara of the same municipality on different dates.

Ramesh Khati, Indra Bahadur Tamang, Shamsher Thing, and Sitaram Thing of Makwanpur; Aite Singh Moktan and Un Bahadur Syangtan of Chitwan; Dhan Bahadur Gurung of Gorkha; and Arjun Rokka of Rolpa have been arrested, according to Dil Bahadur Purja Pun, the warden of CNP.

Speaking at a press meet organized at the CNP headquarters on Thursday, Dr Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, director-general of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, said poachers killed the rhinos taking advantage of the loopholes in security during the festive season. “We have learned a valuable lesson. We will make sure that such loopholes in security are addressed,” Dhungana insisted.

Likewise, Nabaraj Adhikari, the spokesperson for the CIB, said they nabbed the poachers while they were trying to sell rhino horns.