Sashastra Police Jawan Found Dead in Mahakali River; Investigation Underway

Kathmandu. During a long-route patrolling by a team led by an Inspector from Dadeldhura's Parigaun Border Outpost (BOP), a Sashastra Police jawan did not appear when the roll call was taken. Subsequently, upon searching, jawan Omprakash Pun Magar was found dead. On Jestha 18, his body was found stuck under the Mahakali River bridge between Kanchanpur and India's Uttarakhand Tanakpur branch barrage.

After the body was found on the Indian side, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) conducted an inquest and informed the Nepal Police. Following this, the deceased's elder brother, Mahendra Pun, received the body and brought it to Nepal.

On Jestha 14, a team of 21 people, under the command of Sashastra Police Inspector Naresh Bahadur Chand, went on foot patrol along the border. On the night of Jestha 15, the team stayed overnight at the Haarbor BOP. The next day, when the roll call was taken, jawan Pun Magar was not present. His wife is also working at the Parigaun BOP. The deceased is a local of Alital Rural Municipality-3, Chanla, Dadeldhura.

Officials say the death of the Sashastra Police jawan who went on patrol is suspicious. The District Police Office, Kanchanpur, and Dadeldhura are investigating this matter. The Sashastra Police has formed a committee to investigate the incident. Sashastra Police Spokesperson (DIG) Vishnu Bhatt told Ratopati that a three-member investigation committee has been formed under the leadership of SP Devraj Joshi of No. 7 Brigade. Bhatt stated that no facts about the incident have been revealed so far. He said, 'The investigation will find out.'

The Sashastra Police has been conducting an internal investigation into the incident since Jestha 17. It appears there has been serious negligence on the part of the Sashastra Police as the commander and other colleagues who went with him were unaware. Although a search was initiated when he did not appear for the roll call, the Sashastra Police only learned of his death after the SSB found the body and informed them.

After the post-mortem, the family cremated the body in Godavari, Kailali. His maternal uncle, 55-year-old Tirtha Bahadur Thapa, was also found dead in the Mahakali River on Sunday. On Sunday morning at 9:50 AM, Tirtha Bahadur's body was found floating in the Mahakali River in Parshuram Municipality-5, Dadeldhura.

Dadeldhura DSP Varun Bahadur Singh told Ratopati that after the post-mortem at Jogbuda Hospital, Tirtha Bahadur's body was handed over to the family. According to the police, the cause of his death is also unclear. DSP Singh said, 'We are waiting for the post-mortem report.'

Tirtha Bahadur is a local of Parigaun, Ward No. 5, Parshuram Municipality.