DHANGADHI, AUGUST 10

The probe panel formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to carry out investigation into the Darchula incident has left for Baitadi for further investigation after eight days of investigation in Darchula.

The probe panel formed under the coordination of Joint Secretary of the ministry and probe committee coordinator Janardan Gautam had been investigating the case of Jay Singh Dhami of Vyas Rural Municipality, who went missing in the Mahakali River after Indian Seema Surakshya Bal personnel allegedly cut the rope of the tuin (rope bridge) when he was crossing the river through the same tuin on July 30.

The committee will reportedly visit Mahendranagar after Baitadi for further investigation into the incident. The team is also said to have scheduled a meeting with security officers stationed along the Mahakali river.

Meanwhile, authorities are preparing to use a drone camera to search of the missing Dhami in coordination with the technical team of Nepal Police. However, the Indian side has yet to respond on the issue of whether or not to permit the drone search along the river on the Indian land. As such, the search operation has hit uncertainty as the usage of drones in the border area requires agreement from both countries. The team had reached Darchula with a drone camera on Sunday and has planned to search along the river from Malaghat of Vyas-2 to Khalanga.

The government has given the probe panel 10 days to complete the investigation and submit the report.

The investigation committee has Sudurpaschim Province's DIG Purushottam Kandel, National Investigation Department Director Hutaraj Thapa, APF SSP Suresh Kumar Shrestha, and Darchula Assistant Chief District Officer Jyotsana Bhatta Joshi as members.