LALITPUR: A group of six masked men looted valuables and money from a team of birdwatchers including a U.S. citizen at a forest area in Godavari on Sunday. Showing khukuris and sticks, the unidentified men overpowered Thize Thomas (50) and staff members of the Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), who accompanied her for birdwatching at Phulchoki, and robbed them of binoculars, four mobile phone sets, and Rs. 20,000 and USD 3,000 in cash. The victims were returning to Kathmandu on a private car when the gang blocked the road with a dead tree before and looted them. The incident site lies 5 km far from the Godavari buspark. The victims have lodged a complaint about the incident at the Metropolitan Police Sector Bandegaun. The American national, however, has already left Nepal. Police said that a search operation has been launched to nab the looters. Phulchoki is a popular destination for birdwatchers as many species of birds are found in the dense and quiet forest there.