KANCHANPUR: Fourteen women from Baghphanta in Bhimdatta Municipality-19, Kanchanpur, have gone missing after entering Shuklaphanta National Park to forage for mushrooms on Sunday morning.

The women entered the park through the Malumela post in two separate groups around 11:00 AM without permission, violating a park entry ban enforced since June 29 due to adverse weather conditions.

After they failed to return by nightfall, their worried families alerted the authorities.

According to Kanchanpur District Police Office, a joint search operation involving the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and park officials—utilizing tracking elephants—has been launched to locate the missing women.