KATHMANDU: Police have arrested four persons in the illegal possession of a red panda hide from New Road of Kathmandu on Friday.

The arrestees have been identified as Dharma Raj Malla (23), Purna Bahadur Singh (35), Jeevan Singh (28) and Roshan Kumar Malla (28) from Kalikot, confirmed the Metropolitan Crime Division, Teku.

Acting on the tip-off, a special team deployed from the MCD nabbed the arrestees in possession of the hide.

During the investigation, police uncovered that the red panda hide was allegedly smuggled to Kathmandu from Nepalgunj by Jeevan Singh and arrestees were planning to sell it for Rs 850,000.

Meanwhile, the suspects have been sent to the Kathmandu District Forest Office, Hattisar for further action.

Red pandas are protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973.