Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Six Police officers held for looting

Kathmandu, Oct 19-Six police officers, including an inspector, are in detention at the Kathmandu District Police Office (KDPO) on dual charges of looting and trying to sell the rare Yarshagumba (Caterpillar Fungus) herb in the capital some days ago.

They have been remanded in police custody after the police sought time to interrogate the accused and come up with a complete report on both the crimes. According to a police source, a group of six police officers, along with two civilians, was involved in the looting of 12 kg of Caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis) at Swayambhu on September 14.

Those who have been taken into custody are KDPO Inspector Bimal Raj Kandel; Sub-Inspectors Raju KC, Santosh Swar and Suraj Khadka; and Assistant sub-Inspectors Roshan Shah and Suraj Khadka.
The two civilians are, however, absconding. Police said that they were also looking into the possible involvement of Constable Kishan Chaulagain in the crime. Meanwhile, police sources revealed that the group of police officers involved in the looting of 12 kg of Yarshagumba herb from Swayambhu were arrested on a tip-off as they were trying to sell their booty to Yog Bahadur Singh, a local businessmen. Police are also probing into the role played by Singh. While the Deputy Inspector General of Police at the Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari, Krishna Basnet, independently confirmed arrests of some police officers in the case. He, however, declined to confirm the names of those detained. “I can’t disclose the names of the police personnel as the case is still under investigation,” he told this daily when asked for the names of the detained police officers.

The trading of Caterpillar fungus, considered a valuable aphrodisiac in high demand in the international market, including in China and India, is illegal in Nepal. But apparently, those who are involved in this trade are ready to ignore the risks if some money can be made.

Same As, Police have arrested Roshan Kumar Mandal, 18, of Janakpur municipality Ward No. 4 who tried to carry out a burglary by poisoning five children of the same locality.

Mandal had fed peda laced with poison to the children. Rampabitra Mukhiya, 12, and Bima Kumari Mukhiya, 2, who fell seriously ill after eating the poisoned peda have been hospitalised.

According to police, Mandal said he had been ordered to carry out the poisoning by Sriprasad Shaha, also of Janakpur. Police are looking for Shaha, it is stated.

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