Panchthar, July 24

Two youths of Panchthar and three minors of Dhankuta, who had gone missing in the Tamor River for the last three days, were yet to be found till this evening.

Police said Sandip Sewa, 21, Jiban Suhang, 19, of Hilihang Rural Municipality, Panchthar; and three brother and sisters of a family Sandip Rai, 9, Salina Rai, 7, and a four-year-old child Sanjila Rai of Dhankuta Municipality, Dhankuta; had gone missing from Friday. Of them, Sandip and Jiban were swept away by the river on Friday when they were swimming and fishing at Nakkale Ghat in the border of Panchthar and Tehrathum.

Ward Chair Laxmi Prasad Suhang of Hilihang Rural Municipality said that it was very difficult to search for the missing persons as the water level was yet to come down. Jiban’s father Man Bahadur said they had searched for the last six days on the banks of the river, but in vain. “We do not have hope that the missing are alive, but we are still trying to find the bodies,” he added.

Around 150 persons have been deployed, including the police from Aathrai Police Post and locals at Chhatedhunga and Aathrai to search for the missing.

According to Panchthar District Police Office, Sandip and Jiban were drowned when they were swimming and fishing with their relatives from Terhathum. Police said that locals and the police were searching for the missing.

Similarly, Tamor River had swept away Sandip Rai, 9, Salina Rai, 7, and four-year-old Sanjila Rai in Dandatole of Dhankuta Municipality on Sunday.

The flooded Tamor swept them away as they were heading to the field where their parents were working just after they returned home from school.

An eyewitness said the minors had drowned while they were heading through the banks of the river. Police said they were searching for the missing, but they were yet to find them. Locals said that the minors’ parents were in mourning after the incident.