INARUWA: The Sunsari District Administration Office has banned the boat operation in the Saptakoshi River for the time being.

The DAO took the decision to suspend the punting in the river until a further notice, following frequent incidents of boat sinking in the river.

A meeting of the District Security Committee took a decision to this effect.

It may be noted that status of nine individuals who went missing in a boat capsize incident last Saturday is yet to be known. They all feared dead as chances of rescuing them alive are slim, police said.

Search for the missing in the incident is going on, on the fifth day today, Superintendent of Police Poshraj Pokhrel said.