Chitwan: The Chitwan National Park (CNP) has apprehended six individuals suspected of involvement in rhino horn trafficking. One suspect remains at large. The CNP Office publicly disclosed the arrests during a news conference today.

The suspects were detained on April 9 in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-6. Those arrested are:

-Kranti Khadka, 29, from Kawasoti municipality-16, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East)
-Lekhnath Sunar, 38
-Chhabilal Pariyar, 50, from Kawasoti municipality-15
-Prakash Ghimire, 36, from Kawasoti municipality-15
-Khim Bahadur Baral, 35, from Bulingtar rural municipality-4
-Prakash Raj Joshi, 27, from Chhabis Pathibhera rural municipality-1, Bajhang district

CNP Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Purja Pun reported that a piece of the endangered one-horned rhino's horn was found in Khadka's possession. The horn had been discovered inside the Gundredhakaha buffer zone community forest in the Amaltari region of the CNP nine years ago.

Pun explained that Pariyar and Bhairav Thapa, who has since passed away, had extracted the horn from a rhino carcass in the forest while collecting animal fodder. An additional suspect involved in the trafficking remains at large. The authorities are continuing their efforts to apprehend the remaining suspect.