Pokhara, October 24

Drains constructed on the roadside have turned into killers with five persons losing their lives after falling into them in Pokhara-Lekhnath Sub-Metropolitan City in the past one-and-a-half years.

Locals say motorcyclists and pedestrians have fallen victims to lack of proper management of drains on the roadside.

On the day of last Bhai Tika, Pijan Pun, went missing after he fell into the drain when he lost control of the bike he was riding. Pun’s status is yet to be known. Pillion rider Shrawan Purja was injured in the incident.

The bike en route to Bagar from Lamachaur. fell into the drain near Gorkha Boarding School. The bike was recovered from the drain 150 metres below the incident site, but Pun is still missing.

Ward Police Office Bagar Inspector Kishor Lamsal said a police team was deployed to carry out a search for the missing Pun. “The police team carried out its search from the incident site to KI Singh Bridge from inside the drainage, but could not find Pun,” Lamsal said.

Inspector Lamsal said the bike, which had fallen into the drain could not be fished out. “We opened the body parts and engine of the bike and brought it out,” Lamsal added.

Four persons were killed after they fell in the drains last year. Two persons from Syangja lost their lives on 17 September 2016. Ganga Prasad Subedi was swept to death by the sewage water. Krishna Bahadaur Thapa also died after he fell into the drain the same day in the Lake City.

Surbir GC was washed away by the drain water along with his bike at Pokhara-Lekhnath Metropolsi-7 on 7 September 2016. GC was swept away by the drain water near the Land Revenue Office.

Mina Bhandari was killed after drain water swept her away on August 31, 2016.  A resident of Dang living in Pokhara-4, Bhandari lost her life after she fell into the drain at Siddhartha Chowk.

Sulav Bastola was swept to death by Deurali Khola. It is yet to be known how Bastola’s body reached Deurali khola. He died on 25 June 2016.

Amrita Bhandari from Pokahra said most of the drains in the Lake City are unsafe for bikers and pedestrians. “Drains look small now. But, they are like streams during rainfall,” Bhandari said. Bhandari suggested covering the drains with concrete slabs. Open drains have led to the death of people, Bhandari stated.