A team of Armed Police Force (APF) and a gang of marijuana smugglers exchanged fire at Gobargadha Tapu in Hanuman Nagar Kankalini Municipality-13, Saptari, on Friday night.

According to the APF, the security personnel opened fire in retaliation after the smugglers launched an attack on them.

SP Khem Bahadur Thapa said, “The APF personnel were following the smugglers when the latter fired two rounds of bullets at them. In response, the APF men also fired a round of bullet into the air.”

Three smugglers were arrested from the incident site, Thapa said. Udaya Mukhiya, an Indian national from Bihar, and Hira Mukhiya and Lal Bahadur Raya of Hanuman Nagar Kankalini Municipality in Saptari were arrested with 42 kilograms of marijuana. Two other smugglers fled the scene.

The smugglers along with the seized marijuana were handed over to the police for investigation.