KATHMANDU: Two people have been taken into custody by Parbat district police for allegedly starting a fire in a community forest during the dry season. The suspects, Subas Paudel, 26, and Ramesh Paudel, 31, both from Kushma Municipality-14, were arrested on January 12 for igniting a fire in Arthur Dandakhark's Thuladhunga Community Forest.
According to Inspector Nir Bahadur Baniya of the Parbat District Police Office, the two were detained at their homes after locals reported them. The fire had not only caused significant damage to forest resources and wildlife habitats but also posed a serious risk to nearby settlements.
For additional legal actions, the suspects have been passed over to the Division Forest Office, Parbat. The district court has authorized a five-day extension of their incarceration while the inquiry continues.
Parbat has seen numerous wildfires; 70 community forests were affected by them last year. According to authorities, the primary cause of the increase in fire incidents since mid-January of this year is human mistakes.
Officials have stepped up attempts to find the culprits and take tough measures against them in response to the growing threat. Jhyamanarayan Sapkota, the chief of the Division Forest Office, said that officials are committed to preventing such incidents by holding criminals responsible.
