Four men were arrested with about 900 grams yarsa gumba with an estimated price of more than Rs15 lakh in the international market. The men were nabbed in Bindukhatta area following a joint operation involving the police, SOG and forest department.
Following a tip off from an informant on Thursday afternoon, police sub inspector BC Joshi, SOG head constable Satyendra Gangoli and Gaula ranger Dayakishan Chaubey laid a trap at Indiranagar intersection in Bindukhatta and nabbed four men with nearly a kilo of yarsa gumba. The officials said that they had been on the look out for these men for some days now. They said that this herb is sourced from the high altitude regions of the State and sold at exorbitant prices in the Terai. Two members of the gang nabbed on Thursday are from Chamoli district and these two bring the herb to the Terai and use the help of a few locals to sell it. Those nabbed include Bindukhatta residents Ashok Singh and Dhan Singh Bisht along with Tharali- Chamoli residents Harendra Singh and Surendra Singh. They were booked under the Forest Act.