SOLUKHUMBU: Police have arrested three persons for smuggling the skins of seven red pandas.
Chief of the District Police Office, Solukhumbu, DSP Kavit Katwal said police — acting on a tip-off — have arrested them from Mahakulung Municipality.
The team of Inspector Mandeep Chauhan arrested three people including the skin of seven red pandas, DSP Katwal said.
A trap used to kill the red panda has also been recovered from them. They were arrested from their house on Monday evening along with the skin.
The arrested are Jagat Bahadur Rai, 76, of Mahakulung-2, Kabir Shankar Rai, 56, of Mahakulung-3 and Miturdhan Rai, 57, of Mahakulung-3, according to Solukhumbu Police.
Police Chief Katwal said that they were arrested on the basis of information that they were illegally poaching and killing wild animals in the intermediate zone of Makalu Varun National Park.
Katwal said that the gang that hunted and smuggled red pandas ended as soon as the group was arrested. All the three arrested and brought to the District Police Office for investigation will be sent to the National Park for legal action.
According to Article 26 (1) of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029, they can be fined from Rs 500,000 to Rs 1 million or imprisoned for five to 15 years or both.
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