Looters ransack houses, as villagers go for yarsa picking, in Mugu

Kathmandu: A marauding gang of looters have plundered Dolphu village of Mugum Karmarong rural municipality-1 in Mugu, taking advantage of the absence of villagers.

The villagers left their homes to comb highland meadows in search of a precious herb, yarshagumba on Saturday. According to the Chairperson of Karmarong rural municipality, Chhiring Kyapne Lama, the armed looters ransacked houses and made away with cash, jewelry, and other goods.

‘There were only elderly and children in the village which the armed gang took advantage of. Of 50 houses, the gang plundered assets from 23 houses,’ he informed, adding that even a priest at a shrine was beaten by the gang. The gang did not spare even the dogs guarding the houses.

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Topendra KC informed that a police team was deputed from the Pulu police post, a five-hour trek from the village, immediately after receiving the information. Mugum Karmarong-1 Chairman Tunduk Lama had informed the police about the looting spree.

The assailants had come with guns, scimitars, and khukuris. Jewelry, ancient pots, medicinal herbs, and clothes were looted by them, he added. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Birendra Thapa, informed that the incident site had no access to communications, so it was difficult to contact police persons mobilized there.

Wards no 1, 3, and 4 of Mugum Karmarong rural municipality fall in the Tse Phoksundo National Park. After the local level was permitted to collect yarshagumba for this season, the locals had left villages since May 23.

RSS