CHITWAN: The Chitwan National Park (CNP) has arrested six individuals for their involvement in trafficking rhino horns. One suspect remains at large.
The arrests were announced at a news conference organized by the CNP Office today.
The individuals were apprehended in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-6 on April 9.
The suspects are:
- Kranti Khadka, 29, of Kawasoti Municipality-16, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East)
- Lekhnath Sunar, 38
- Chhabilal Pariyar, 50, of Kawasoti Municipality-15
- Prakash Ghimire, 36, of the same location
- Khim Bahadur Baral, 35, of Bulingtar Rural Municipality-4
- Prakash Raj Joshi, 27, of Chhabis Pathibhera Rural Municipality-1, Bajhang District
According to CNP Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Purja Pun, a piece of the horn of an endangered one-horned rhino was found in Khadka’s possession.
This wildlife part was originally found in the Gundredhakaha buffer zone community forest under the Amaltari region of the CNP nine years ago.
Chief Conservation Officer Pun revealed that Pariyar and the now-deceased Bhairav Thapa of Kawasoti Municipality-15 had extracted the horn from the carcass of a one-horned rhino when they had reportedly gone to the forest to collect animal fodder.
Another individual involved in the trafficking remains at large.
Comment