28-year-old Narayan Singh Budhathoki of Vyas-2, Lower Dumling, who was walking for shopping, fell into the Mahakali when the pole on which the tuin was tied broke.
28-year-old Narayan Singh of Budhathoki Tuin of Byas Rural Municipality-2 Lower Dumling, who went shopping, went missing in the Mahakali River. He fell into the Mahakali after the pole on which the tuin was tied broke while on his way to the Indian market around noon on Tuesday.
According to the ward president of Vyas-2, Dhiransingh Budhathoki, the pillar on the Indian side where the bridge was tied was broken. Of the two people who were with Narayan, 26-year-old Jitu Bishta had already left, while the other was Jayadu Budhathoki Wari (towards Nepal). Tuin fell when he reached the middle part of Narayan river. District Police Chief DSP Prakash Dahal informed that police, armed police and locals have been deployed in search of him.
According to the ward president Budhathoki, Sundarsingh Bhandari of Dumling went missing after falling from Tuin last year. Last year, 18-year-old Sachin Budhathoki from Dumling area also went missing in Mahakali after falling from Tuin. All three of them fell from Tuin in different ways," he said. "Every year some of them fall from Tuin and end up in the Mahakali." The year before that, 10-year-old Dipendra Bishta of Vyas-4 Dokat went missing.
KP Sharma Oli announced in 2072 that he would replace Tuin within two years when he became the Prime Minister for the first time. But even for decades, the residents of the northern region of the marginal district of Darchula are forced to cross from Tuin. Only in Dumling, locals cross the Mahakali by wearing tuin at three places. Residents of Byas Rural Municipality-2 and 5 are forced to travel across Mahakali from Tuin to reach their district headquarters from shopping to medicine.
Locals say that accidents happen when ropes or ordinary iron wires are stuck on trees, stones or poles. District Police Chief DSP Dahal said that Tuin was found to be used illegally to cross the Dumling towards Nepal and Garbhadhar area towards India.
Ward president Budhathaki said that even though he requested the government several times for the construction of suspension bridge near Dumling Basti, there was no response. According to him, construction of suspension bridges is necessary at half a dozen places in Mahakali. "Most of the residents of Dumling need a bridge," said Budhathoki, the ward president.
Bridges have been built over the Mahakali at 5 places in Beas Rural Municipality to connect Nepal and India in the area above Darchula headquarters. Sitapul, the highest area, has an old Kathepul while the other 4 places have new suspension bridges.
On Tuesday, it takes two hours to reach Jholunge bridge at Malghat in the nearest Ward 2 from the accident site. Another suspension bridge is in Malghatte of Ward 4. Tigaram of Ward 5, Badugaon of Ward 6 also have suspension bridges but they are far away. Since the suspension bridge is far away and the road to reach the bridge is not easy, the locals have put up a temporary bridge in the place where they can find it.
Residents of Vyas-2 Dumling and Budi and Ward 5 Dhaulakot cross the Mahakali through Tuin. Local residents complain that they have to take the Indian road through Tuin for basic work such as shopping for consumer goods, medical treatment, etc., as even the footpath to the headquarters is not fast.
