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.
Rhino horn found inside Chitwan National Park