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No cable car groups have demonstrated in front of the construction site of Pathivara Mukkumlung Cable Car project at Kaflepati in Phaktanglung Rural Municipality, Taplejung.
A large number of protestors shouting slogans, "stop cable car construction, stop state terror, no cable car," reached the construction site around 2:30 pm. No sooner the demonstrators entered the construction site by removing the barbed fence, the tension flared up and the secured personnel fired several rounds of teargas shells to take the situation under control.
"No sooner Mukkumlung protectors entered the construction site by removing the barbed wire, than the security personnel fired several rounds of teargas shells to disperse the demonstrators," said Khagendra Makhim, a member of the Save Mukkumlung Joint Struggle Committee and the leader of the Janata Samajbadi Party. However, the security personnel backed off after a large number of demonstrators overpowered them.
Meanwhile, the demonstrators have taken an excavator and a firefighter under control, according to Makhim and now the demonstrators are holding a mass meeting a few meters above the construction site.
However, Indra Kedem, the contractor of the project from the Himalayan Construction denied the claim that the excavator and the firefighter were taken under control. Kedem said that some security personnel sustained injuries in the clash with the demonstrators and now the construction work has been halted for a while.
"The clashes took place between demonstrators and security personnel. Some security personnel sustained injuries in the clash. The construction work has now been halted for a while," said Kedem.
Eleven security personnel including six from Nepal Police and five from Armed Police Force were injured in the attack. Similarly, one protestor sustained injuries in the clash, Chief District Officer of Taplejung, Netra Prasad Sharma, said.
Leaders Rajendra Mahato, Dekendra Singh Thegim, Rakam Chemjong, Prem Yekten, and Ram Maden were spotted at the site leading the demonstration, according to CDO Sharma.
The Save Mukkumlung Joint Struggle Committee has resumed its demonstrations stating that the government did not stop the construction of the cable car project as per the six-point agreement reached on February 4 between the agitating group and the government side.
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