Narayangarh, March 13:

Jamadar Madhav Bahadur Budhathoki, working in the Jungle Warfare Army School at Amlekhgunj had provided 100 rounds of 7.62 bullets to rhino poacher Hari Bahadur Bishwokarma of Dumarwana (Bara) through former pilot Ramesh Chandra Pokhrel, a press statement issued by the Chitwan National Park Central Office said today.

The bullets were used to kill one-horned rhinos in the CNP, the park officials said at a press conference organised today. The rhino smugglers and the Nepalese Army bullets were displayed to the journalists today.

The bullets used for automatic SLR were used in an automatic caliber gun 30.06 belonging to former pilot Pokhrel to kill the rhinos, CNP officials said.

Eight persons have arrested on charges of poaching rhinos and smuggling in wild life from February 14 to March 10 and have been sent to Bharatpur jail for custody until interrogation today, acting chief protection officer at CNP, Ramji Siwakoti said.

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

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