Two Boys Missing After Being Swept Away in Bijaypur River

Kaski. The condition of two boys who went missing after being swept away while crossing the Bijaypur River in Pokhara on Saturday afternoon is still unknown. Although security personnel have been searching the Bijaypur River and Seti River areas using divers and various methods on Saturday and today, their condition has not been ascertained. The family is worried as the condition of the missing boys, 14-year-old Nixon Gurung, a permanent resident of Syangja and living in Chhinedanda, Pokhara-14, and 15-year-old Oman Rai, living in Chauthe, could not be found. Both boys were swept away while crossing the Bijaypur River at 1:20 PM on Saturday. The search started immediately after the incident, but they have not been found yet, according to the Armed Police Force Nepal No. 24 Battalion Headquarters, Kalika, Kaski. Assistant Chief District Officer Chitrangat Baral said that a disaster management team of five divers, including Armed Police Inspector Sajan Shrestha, from the Armed Police Force Nepal No. 24 Battalion Headquarters, Kalika, has been mobilized again with necessary rescue equipment. According to him, the team is searching the riverbanks and crevices about two kilometers downstream from the incident site. After they were not found there either, a search was conducted using 'rappelling climbing' and 'rope rescue' methods from a concrete bridge about two kilometers downstream from the incident site since 3:00 PM today. Assistant Chief District Officer Baral informed that Armed Police Assistant Subedar Kiran Subedi and Armed Police Jawan Devraj Khanal reached a crevice about 80 meters below the bridge and conducted the search. A joint team including Chief District Officer of Kaski Kuman Singh Gurung, Chief of Krishna Dal Battalion Fulbari of the Nepali Army Rajendra Pudasaini, Chief of Armed Police No. 24 Battalion Armed Police Superintendent Basanta Bahadur Singh, Deputy Director of National Investigation Office Kaski Mohan Bahadur Kunwar, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Birendra Paswan of the District Police Office Kaski conducted an on-site inspection of the incident site. Assistant Chief District Officer Baral informed that regular search operations are being conducted along the banks of the Bijaypur River and Seti River as the Bijaypur River merges into the Seti River through Morekhare, Pokhara-27. According to him, coordination is also being done with the police of Tanahu, Chitwan, and Nawalparasi District Administration Offices for the search. Meanwhile, the District Administration Office has urged people not to go near rivers and streams during the monsoon and to keep special vigilance on children. The administration has also requested citizens living in low-lying areas near the riverbanks to immediately move to safer places if the water flow and water level rise.