Election Staff Fall Ill Due to Altitude Sickness at Remote Dolpa Polling Station

Dolpa. Election staff deployed at the polling station located in the ward office building of Photgaon, Ward-6, She-Phoksundo Rural Municipality, Dolpa, have fallen ill. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ruk Bahadur Khadka of the District Police Office, Dolpa, informed Ratopati that five staff members became sick due to altitude sickness.

He stated that two of the seriously ill individuals were rescued by helicopter and brought to the district hospital. 'Among the five, two are seriously ill, while the others only have minor headaches,' he said, 'One is a police officer, and the rest are election officials.'

He added, 'It is due to the high altitude that they are suffering from altitude sickness; since they need to be kept on oxygen, they will gradually recover.' He also mentioned that an additional support team has been dispatched for them.

According to him, security arrangements for the election in Dolpa have been tightened. 'There is a police team at the polling center, then our mobile team forms the outer cordon, two teams for each municipality, followed by the Armed Police Force's mobile striking team, and then the Nepali Army is present everywhere,' he said.

He stated that preparations are underway to bring back the ballot boxes and all deployed staff by helicopter.