Ex-pilot, army man among others involved in rhino killing:

Former pilot of Nepal Airlines Corporation Ramesh Chandra Pokhrel has said that he was involved in the poaching of rhinos in Chitwan National Park (CNP) and surrounding areas.

According to CNP, 76-year old Pokhrel confessed that he shot dead nine rhinos in the area.

Speaking at a press conference at Kasara office of the CNP, he revealed that Jamadar Madhav Bahadur Budhathoki, working in the Jungle Warfare Army School at Amlekhgunj had supplied bullets regularly to Pokhrel.

A team led by Ana Nath Baral, assistant protection officer of the CNP, had arrested Pokhrel on February 17 from his residence in Kathmandu. The team also confiscated a rhino horn from his car and a caliber 30.06 automatic rifle.

Pokhrel confessed that he used different persons to kill rhinos. Army man Budathoki provided 100 rounds of 7.62 bullets to rhino poacher Hari Bahadur Bishwokarma of Dumarwana (Bara) through former pilot Ramesh Chandra Pokhrel.

The bullets were used to kill one-horned rhinos in the CNP, the park officials said.

The rhino smugglers and the Nepalese Army bullets were displayed during the press conference. However Budathoki denied the charges, terming it as a conspiracy against him.

Eight persons have arrested on charges of poaching rhinos and smuggling wildlife from February 14 to March 10 and have been sent to Bharatpur jail for custody until interrogation on Tuesday, reports quoted acting chief protection officer at CNP, Ramji Siwakoti, as saying.

Those under investigation include Hari Bahadur Bishwokarma and Sophal Lopchan of Bara, Hiralal Lopchan of Chitwan, Dambar Lamsal of Nawalparasi, former pilot Pokhrel, Dinesh Kumar Basnet, Tasi Gurung and Jamdar Budhathoki, the officials said.

If found guilty for poaching and trading in wildlife, the culprits may face five to 15 years of imprisonment or fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs100,000 or both.

There has been rise in rhino poaching in recent days. nepalnews.com pb Mar 14 07