By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, August 1: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has directed the local administration to find out the truth related to the incident of Malghat of Byas Rural Municipality of Darchula, where a 33-year-old man went missing while he was crossing the Mahakali River.
Jay Singh Dhami of Darchula Byas has gone missing since Friday after he fell off the improvised cable while crossing the River to reach his home in Khalanga, headquarters of Darchula.
The only way to reach the place is by crossing the Mahakali River with the help of the improvised cable and through the Indian territory.
Dhami fell into the river after the improvised cable came loose. At the time of the incident, there was a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) man on the Indian side of the river and had warned Dhami not to cross the river.
Locals have claimed that he fell into the river and went missing after the SSB personnel cut off the improvised cable.
The ministry informed that it had been deeply concerned about the incident.
Spokesperson of the ministry Phanindra Mani Pokharel said that necessary instructions had been given to the local administration and security agencies to find out the reality of the tragic incident.
The security team has been mobilised to find out the truth behind the incident and search for the missing person, he added.
The ministry has also requested not to publish information and news in such a way as to create confusion, as the investigation into the incident is under way.
Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Siddharaj Joshi said that it was yet to be cleared how Dhami fell into the Mahakali River.
CDO Joshi held talks with the Indian administration after reports came in media that Dhami fell off the tuin after the SSB cut off the iron wire. During the conversation, the Indian side reportedly refuted that SSB could do so.
Joshi said that four of the five persons had already crossed the river and Dhami might have fallen into the river when he saw the SSB team while he was crossing the river. The information has not come clearly whether the SSB had cut the rope or not, he said.
Likewise, our Darchula correspondent Lokendra Joshi writes, relatives of Dhami have lodged a complaint against the SSB man at the Pagala Police Station in Dharchula of Pithoragarh District, India.
In the complaint, they have mentioned that due to the mutual relations, the improvised cable is being used by locals to travel through the territory of Nepal and India, even before the independence of India.
The complaint further stated that the SSB personnel threatened the locals of Nepal to remain silent about the incident.
Locals Bahadur Singh Dhami and Joga Singh Dhami have lodged a complaint to prepare the preliminary report on the incident.
The relatives have requested the administration of both Darchula and Indian side to fairly investigate the incident and take action against the culprit.
Locals of Byas have handed over a memorandum to CDO Joshi demanding action against the SSB personnel who cut off the cable.
CDO Joshi has also sent an email to Pithoragarh District Officer Ananda Swaroop to carry out the investigation over the incident, said Assistant Chief District Officer Jyotsana Bhatta Joshi.
“We have also addressed to the Deputy District Officer of Dharchula Tehsil of Pithoragarh, Anil Kumar Shukla,” she added.
Police Inspector of the District Police Office, Darchula Narendra Bahadur Chand said that the truth of the incident is yet to be ascertained.
A team of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Central Investigation Bureau have reached the spot to carry out the investigation.
Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has formed an investigation committee led by the Secretary.
The committee has been directed to investigate the incident and submit a report as soon as possible.