TAPLEJUNG, Nov 9: As many as five individuals have sustained injuries as two groups with opposing viewpoints on the construction of a cable car system in the Pathibhara temple area clashed on Friday in Taplejung.
The local administration confirmed that four people were injured from both sides as they indulged in pelting stones at Kafle Pati of Taplejung at 2 pm on Friday. The District Police Office (DPO), Taplejung informed Republica that two individuals from both sides sustained minor injuries after they resorted to pelting each other with stones. In addition, two police personnel were also injured while trying to disperse the crowd.
“One personnel each from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) have sustained injuries while trying to disperse the crowd,” spokesperson for the Koshi Province Police Office, Senior Superintendent of Police Bhim Dahal told Republica, “Two individuals each from either side also sustained injuries.” He added that all six of the injured have only sustained minor injuries and three of them have been taken to the Taplejung District Hospital for treatment.
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The locals who sustained injuries have been identified as Chandra Maden and Arjun Limbu of Paktanglung Rural Municipality-5, Damodar Adhikari of Phungling Municipality-4 and Kumar Sherpa of Meringden Rural Municipality-4. Similarly, APF Inspector Digendra Oli and Police Assistant Constable Abhinaj Majhi were injured. Among the injured, Limbu sustained injuries at his right hip, Maden on his head and right thumb, while the officer had injuries above and below their eye socket. Similarly, Sherpa sustained a head injury.
As per the locals, the clash started after the local administration which had been opposing the construction of the cable car seized the key of an excavator used for the construction of infrastructure for the cable car as the construction company attempted to take away the excavator. Both the supporters and opponents of the cable car company started pelting stones at each other after the local administration incited the groups following its intervention.
The situation has calmed down following police intervention. Authorities have maintained strict security in the Kafle Pati area which remained tense throughout the day. Teams of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed under the leadership of Nepal Police Inspector Bibek Basnet and APF Inspector Degendra Oli respectively. The presence of security personnel has prevented further clashes between those in favor and those against the cable car.
The IME Group won the tender for the construction of a cable car connecting Kafle Pati of Phungling-11 to Pathibhara temple. The forest surrounding Pathibhara temple, a major religious site of eastern Nepal is considered holy by the locals which has fuelled them to oppose the construction of a cable car in the area.
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