Miscellaneous
Wanted rhino poacher arrested
Durga Rana Magar, who was wanted by the authorities on rhino poaching charge, has been arrested after seven years on the run.Shiva Puri
Durga Rana Magar, who was wanted by the authorities on rhino poaching charge, has been arrested after seven years on the run.
A joint team of the Chitwan National Park and the Nepal Army had captured Magar on Friday.
The CNP officials claimed Magar, who hails from Nawalparasi, was the leader of a group that was involved in rhino poaching and smuggling of wildlife parts.
He had been fleeing following the arrest of his accomplice Khadak Bahadur Mahat.
Mahat is currently in jail after he was convicted by the Chitwan District Court in 2009 and sent to 15 years in prison.
Ram Chandra Kandel, the chief conservation officer of the CNP, said Magar had fled the country following Mahat’s arrest.
A special team was mobilised to arrest Magar after the authorities were tipped about his return.
Around 100 people are still wanted by the CNP on the charges of poaching wildlife and smuggling of their parts.
Kandel said the CNP was making a special effort to arrest them.
The CNP marked zero rhino poaching years in 2015 and 2016. A 2015 census had put the rhino population in the country at 645 rhinos.