Warning shots fired as two groups of Yarshagumba collectors clash in Dolpa

KATHMANDU: A team of Armed Police Force (APF) had to fire warning shots as clash broke out between two groups collected Yarshagumba, a rare medicinal fungus, at Thula Lek area in in Thuli Bheri Municipality-1 of Dolpa on Saturday.

According to the APF, the dispute occurred between locals from Maikot Rural Municipality of Rukum East, and Kaike Rural Municipality and Thuli Bheri Municipality of Dolpa. “The confrontation stemmed from a disagreement over collection rights in a border area,” APF Joint Spokesperson Shailendra Thapa said.

An estimated 600-700 from three rural municipalities were involved in the altercation.

“To bring the situation under control, a security team from Armed Police Force Nepal, Battalion No. 46 in Dolpa, under the command of a Sub-Inspector, fired two warning shots into the air using an SLR (self-loading rifle),” DSP Thapa said. “The situation has been brought under control now.”