Darchula incident: India denies SSB dismantling ‘tuin’

KATHMANDU, Aug 1: India has denied the involvement of its security personnel in dismantling the improvised cable crossing (tuin) at Darchaula’s Byas Rural Municipality-2, Malghat where Nepal’s 33-year-old Jaya Singh Dhami went missing in the Mahakali River on Friday. 

Writing a letter to the chief district officer (CDO) of Darchula district on Saturday, district officer of India’s Pithoragarh district, Aanand Swarup said that no Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel was involved in the incident. 

“The allegation against SSB regarding Friday's incident is completely false,” reads the letter sent by Aanand Swarup. 

Assistant CDO of Darchula, Jyotsana Bhatta Joshi confirmed that they received a letter from the Indian side. She said, “We received a letter. District Officer of Pithoragarh shared that the incident took place before a squad of SSB reached the site.” 

According to eyewitnesses, Jaya Singh Dhami fell into the swollen Mahakali River as SSB personnel cut off the cable crossing. Dhami was on his way to district headquarters, Khalanga via Indian route from Malghat.