For the last couple of years, Chitwan National Park (CNP),  a World Heritage Site for wildlife conservation, had  reported no cases of poaching of its prized rare one-horned rhino. But the situation turned alarming since July last year. It reported four deaths by poaching since then.

Faced with the challenge to nab poachers, authorities in Nepal made changes in their usual approach. Besides the forest guards of the CNP, a battalion of the Nepali Army was also deployed for the security of the park.

Meanwhile, Nepali Police officials started their searches for poachers, Ananth Baral, the chief conservation officer at the CNP told The Himalayan Times. By December, the efforts started paying off.

In what appears a big success in that direction, the CNP on Wednesday announced they had arrested and pressed charges against 14 persons involved in the killings of one-horned rhinos. They were also involved in the smuggling of rhino horns, officials claimed.

Acting on the leads provided by the arrested persons, the CNP claimed, 25 others were also involved in killings and smuggling. They are still at large. The report in The Himalayan Times said police were still conducting searches and raids across the country to dismantle the ring.

The investigation also led to people involved in old poaching cases. 18 among them are still absconding, officials said in the press conference.