POKHARA: A team of government staffers including Syangja Chapakot Municipality’s Mayor out on a state-funded-tour sustained injuries following a drunken brawl in Kalikot of Karnali.

According to Kalikot Chief District Officer Chandra Bahadur Karki, two groups who had returned from a tour of Rara Lake indulged in a drunken brawl at Sun Light Hotel along the Karnali Highway where Mayor Shiv Kumar Giri and his entourage including his aide and police officers were thrashed badly.

Speaking to THT over phone, the CDO sarcastically shared, “Apparently, both groups had rowdy members with a habit of exchanging blows after getting inebriated. The mayor is at the treatment table, as of now.”

According to Karki, Mayor Giri who suffered head injuries got five stitches while his personal aide Raj Kumar Malla got 16 stitches. Likewise, police chief Shovit Thapa was treated with four stitches and driver Sunik SK got five stitches, the CDO said quoting the hospital.

Meanwhile, five youths from Bhaktapur have been detained following the incident.

“We are holding talks to initiate legal actions. However, the mayor reportedly wants to resolve the issue with talks rather than legal proceedings,” CDO Karki said.

A team of 30 persons including local representatives and government staffers had gone to Rara Lake on a state-funded-tour.