Dhangadhi, November 25:

Saying the timber contractors including the ranger Dilip Singh Yadav involved in ‘Urma Khayar row’ were not brought to book, Youth Force activists padlocked Kailali District Forest Office today.

Up to 50 YF activists led by Kailali district co-coordinator Ganesh Hamal attempted to smear black upon the district forest officer Man Bahadur Khadka at 11:45 am while Khadka was in the office.

Stating that the YF cadres forcefully entered in the office premise and tried to manhandle Khadka, district based various employees’ organizations warned of agitation from Wednesday if the YF cadres were not arrested.

“The group entered the office, pulled me out; however could not smear black upon me,” District Forest Officer Khadka said.

The Youth Force cadres clarified that they did so for not taking action against the smugglers who illegally chopped the raw khayar trees in Kailali’s Urma based forest last year.

Youth Force’s district coordinator Hamal said they were forced to do so after they were threatened while they had entered in the office to know whether the timber smugglers were punished.

He added that they had also handed a report to DFO Khadka urging to punish the timber contractors Krishna Deuba, Bhagwan Acharya, Narayan Acharya, Gopal Poudel and ranger Dilip Singh Yadav.

However, DFO Khadka claimed that no report had been submitted to him.

“Firstly, I had not been handed any report. However, the action for punishing the accused is moving ahead as per the legal provision.

The Youth Force is not the rightful body for submitting me the report either,” DFO Khadka added.

According to Khadka, the accused ranger Dilip Singh Yadav has already been suspended from his job from September 10 and all the other four timber contractors have been issued a warrant notice to bring them into book.

Warning a severe program of protest, Nepal Civil Servant’s Union, Nepal Civil Servant’s Organization, Nepal National Civil Servant’s Organization, Officers’ Club, Nepal Ranger Organization and Nepal Madhesi Civil Servant’s Forum have issued a joint release and demanded action against the Youth Force cadres for misbehaving the District Forest Office

employee.