RELATED ARTICLE Police poaching in park: Warden source kantipuronline.com BY KAMAL PANTHI GULARIYA, Jan 4 - Officials here at Bardiya National Park (BNP) claim that policemen have been poaching in the park with the help of private and government vehicles. Policemen who came from Nepalgunj poached in the Bhurigaun, Ambasha and Amreni areas, claimed Phanindra Kharel, warden of the park. Security posts located in these areas were shifted elsewhere five years ago due to the Maoist insurgency. Taking undue advantage of the improved security situation in the changed political context, the policemen have been killing wild boar, antelope and chittal (another kind of deer) and "they serve their senior officers" with items made from these animals, said a source at the park. Those who have been poaching in the area lately are identified as policemen and others led by sub-inspector Gopal KC who come from Nepalgunj, Kharel claimed. At least two to three wild animals are killed each day, according to locals. Poachers are also found using vehicles without number plates or with the numbers missing, sources said. Sounds of firing in the area can be heard roughly between 11:00 pm and 3:00 am every day, according to Rabi Giri, a local of Ambasha, adding, "We often hide under our beds out of fear." The headquarters of the park at Thakurdwara has stated that wounded chittal, an endangered species, are found in the area. When asked about this, DIG Deependra Bista of the mid-western region stated that the authorities would investigate how policemen, who are generally busy at their duty, went there for poaching. "Earlier, we heard about hunting by policemen in Indian localities, but this is a new report [that remains] to be verified."