KATHMANDU: Police on Friday arrested a 20-year-old man from Kapan of Kathmandu in possession of a red panda hide.

A team deployed from the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police arrested Nabin Rai (20), a permanent resident of Taksindu-1 of Solukhumbu district from Kapan, Budhanilakantha-14 today.

The CIB was tipped-off that Rai was trading the hide of the protected animal in Kapan area.

Meanwhnile, police hand the suspect over to the Kathmandu District Forests Office for further investigation and action.

The CIB said anyone proved involved in trade and smuggling of body parts of wildlife protected in the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973 and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), 1975.