Four held with yak tails in Jaleshwor

By Rabindra Upreti,Bardibas, May 14: A team from the Armed Police Force (APF) border security office at Jalsagar arrested four individuals with 566 tails of yaks from the bus park in Ward No. 3 of Jaleshwor Municipality in Mahottari district Friday morning.

The APF team reached the bus park, which is nearby the Nepal-India border, following a special tipoff. 

“We had received a tipoff that a bus (State 2-03-001 Kha 1215) under the banner of Sabitri Deluxe en-route to Jaleshwor from Kathmandu was smuggling wildlife parts,” said Superintendent of the APF Lekhnath Khanal.

“The yak tails were being loaded on a push cart from the bus when we reached the bus park,” said Khanal.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Bikash Kumar Mahato of Jaleshwor, Umesh Bahadur Basnet of Dhading, Suman Manandhar of Bara and Mohammad Ajin of Dhanusha.

According to Khanal, the yak tails were being smuggled to India. Bhitthamore, the nearest Indian market is only half-a-kilometre far from the site of the confiscation of the yak tails.

“We also found a bill of Rs. 15,000 from Kathmandu-based Laxmi Puja Shop in the name of Bhitthamore-based Janaki Traders from the smugglers. The real destination of the tails and identification of other involved individuals are being investigated,” said Khanal.

The confiscation of yak tails (religiously known as ‘chamar’) is said to be the first of its kind in Mahottari. Yak is also one of the protected species of Nepal as per the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. 

According to officials, the confiscated tails are worth Rs. 2,830,000 in normal price.  However, people in need of the tails for religious purposes in India would pay up to IRs. 15 million (approx. Rs. 24 million).

“Chamar has a great religious significance. Based upon the quality and condition of the tails, people would pay up to IRs. 25,000 per piece. Poor yak tails cost IRs. 2,000 to 4,000 per piece,” said Shishya Rabindra Das Vaishanava, chief caretaker of Matihani Shrine.

“Yak tails are deemed auspicious for aarti. They are also used as fans for Mathadis, such as Shanakracharyas and Ramanandacharyas, when they ascend on their thrones. It is why yak tails are expensive,” said Rabindra Das.

While the APF has detained the four smugglers at Bardibas-based APF Forest Security Division and started further investigation, the confiscated tails have been handed over to Mahottari Forest Division Office.

“We are preparing to file a case under the Control of International Trade of Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora Act, 2017. The district court has also granted a 10-day judicial custody against the smugglers,” said Ramsundar Sah, the investigating officer.