A man has sustained injuries after a shoot-out occurred between alleged smugglers and police personnel at a hotel in Milanchowk of Butwal.

Rakesh Neupane, a resident of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan Ward No 8, was shot in his chin and rushed to Lumbini Regional Hospital, Butwal for treatment.

According to Rupandehi Police Spokesperson Satyanarayana Thapa, two policemen in plain clothes had gone to the hotel for an inspection at around 9:00 am today acting on a tip-off that people involved in smuggling rhino horn were staying at the hotel.

Police had locked the room from outside where the four were staying and called for backup force. The occupants, however, broke down the door, seized the pistol from police, and fired it.

Police arrested Bhakta Bahadur Thapa of Lekbesi Municipality, Surkhet and Karna Bahadur Raut of Barekot Village Municipality-7, Jajarkot from the hotel.

One of the four, Birendra Bahadur Singh, managed to escape from the incident site, police said. Police informed that a rhino horn was also recovered from them.