Jay Singh Dhami, 33, has gone missing in a river crossing the Mahakali River at Malghat in Darchula’s Byas Rural Municipality-2. Jay Singh Dhami went missing on his way to Khalanga district headquarters. He was traveling to Kathmandu after he got news about the acceptance of the visa application.
According to the locals, Tuin was cut off by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) while crossing the Mahakali River. Eyewitness Janak Singh Dhami said that Jay Singh went missing on Friday morning while crossing the Tuin via India to reach Darchula district headquarters. According to him, the SSB threatened Jay Singh not to cross the river from Tuin and forced the tuin operator to open the rope.
Dhami and the other six people had to go to the district headquarters from the Indian territory as the road is destroyed because of the rainy season. They have to reach the district headquarters using Indian land as it was not possible to reach the district headquarters from Nepal.
It was understood that seven locals were on their way to Khalanga, the district headquarters of Darchula. Among them, Jay Singh Dhami was crossing the river while the incident happened. The Indian SSB started coming and threatened the tuin operator to cut the rope.
After that, he fell into the river. Locals and police are searching for the missing. The police said further investigation into the incident is underway.
The Indian authorities claim that “SSB was not involved in the incident”
The Indian side has claimed that the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was not involved in the incident. Even though Dhami had gone missing after falling into the river while crossing the river at Malghat in Byas Rural Municipality-2 on Friday morning.
Although eyewitnesses have been saying that Indian SSB was involved in the incident, the Indian side has claimed that it was not.
Chief District Officer of Darchula Sidda Raj Joshi said that the District Officer of Pithoragarh had sent a written reply based on the correspondence regarding the incident. “The young man himself fell into the river as he could not cross the river.”
Joshi said that it was true that SSB was on duty in the Malghat area. Eyewitnesses have been saying that the Dhami fell into the river after SSB personnel removed the rope.
Five-member committee to ‘investigate’ the Darchula incident
The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that necessary instructions have been given to determine the reality regarding the Darchula incident. As the incident site is a five-hour walk from the district headquarters, it is difficult to gather the information.
As the investigation of the incident is ongoing, the Ministry has requested not to publish information and news in such a way as to create confusion in case the facts have not been confirmed.
Furthermore, the government has formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident where Indian Border Security Force personnel allegedly cut off Tuin while crossing the Mahakali river in Darchula.
As per the decision of the Home Minister, an investigation committee has been formed under the coordination of Home Ministry Joint Secretary Janardan Gautam to investigate the incident on the spot and submit a report within 10 days.
Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police Purushottam Kandel, Director of Investigation of the National Investigation Department Hutraj Thapa, Senior Superintendent of Police Suresh Kumar Shrestha of the Armed Police Force, and Assistant Chief District Officer of the District Administration Office Darchula Jyotsana Bhatt are members of the investigation committee.
Still, there are 11 Tuins left in Mahakali
The then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had announced on the day he took office in 2072 BS that Nepal would become a tuin-free country within the next two years. However, the life of the people of Darchula is still dependent on tuin.
According to the economic survey made public last May, 14 tuins are still in use across the country. Nepalis are forced to rely on tuin to cross rivers. And out of these 14, only 11 tuins are found in Mahakali, according to the survey.
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