The district police office has arrested two youths who set fire to the community forest during the drought.

Two local youths have been arrested by the police on the charge of setting a fire in the community forest of Dandakhark, Kushma Municipality-14, Arthur Dandakhark. Those arrested are 26-year-old Subas Paudel and 31-year-old Ramesh Paudel of Kushma-14 Bagal Wholesale.

They set fire to the forest on January 29 last year. Inspector Nir Bahadur Baniyan of the District Police Office informed that the police team arrested two youths from their house after the locals reported that the forest and the habitats of wild animals were destroyed and the nearby settlements were at risk. 

According to him, both the arrested persons have been sent to the Division Forest Office Parbat for necessary action, and have been remanded in police custody after an extension of five days from the district court. Police Inspector Baniyan said that more investigation is being done about the incident.  Last year, there were fires in 70 community forests in the