Residents of Rigmagaun village in Dolpa district allege seven historic Buddha idols were stolen from a gumba monastery.

The idols were stolen when the villagers, the Lama, and his family from the monastery had gone to highland to pick Yarsagumba.

The incident became known when the villagers returned homes. According to Anga Bahadur Lama, a local, those stolen Buddha statues were hundreds of years old.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hari Prasad Sharma said search is on to find the idols. Rigmagaun, a 40-household settlement, lies on the bank of Shey Phoksundo Lake. Yarsagumba, or Ophiocordyceps sinensis, formerly known as Cordyceps sinensis, is an entomopathogenic fungus—a fungus that grows on insects—found in mountainous regions of Nepal and Tibet.

Popularly known as caterpillar fungus, locals claim it can be used as a tonic to boost energy, appetite, stamina, libido, endurance, and sleeping patterns.