DHADING: Two youths have lost their lives after drowning in Daringal river in Gajuri Rural Municipality-6 of Dhading district Saturday morning. Enraged locals burned down excavators used to extract sand from the river citing the excavation as the cause of their death.

Bhim Tamang (19) and Suman Tamang (21) of Gajuri Rural Municipality-7 drowned in the river today afternoon. Both of them worked as labourers to extract sand.

The locals set fire to three excavators in the area after Tamang-duo drowned in a deep puddle made by the vehicle during sand extraction.

Extraction of sand from rivers using powerful machines is not allowed in the area at present, inspite of which people are involved in illegal extraction that has caused the untimely death of two youths, locals complained demanding action against those involved.

On receiving the information, security personnel were deployed from Adamghat-based Armed Police Force and Gajuri-based Area Police Office to take the situation under control.