Prakash Budha, who runs a hotel in Khalanga of Salyan and is also a contractor, was arrested on the basis of Dansingh Chainsir’s statement to the police. Chainsir, of Bhagawati VDC-2 in Darchula, was arrested with the rhino horn.
District Forest Officer Ramesh Chand said they were preparing to take Budha to Darchula.
A team of forest officials including Chand had arrested 29-year-old Chainsir and 36-year-old Nainsingh Thagunna of Dhap VDC-5, Darchula in possession of the 525-gram rhino horn from Himalaya Hotel in Darchula distrtict headquarters Khalanga.
Thagunna is a Nepal Army soldier. The army is also carrying out a separate investigation on Thagunna.
Chand said they had found the rhino horn after an eight-month investigation. “It’s still not certain whether the rhino horn was stolen from Bardiya National Park or Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve,” he added.
Related story
Rhino horn found inside Chitwan National Park
