Amid the devastation caused by the massive floods in Nepal, a bank’s iron cash box was swept away by floodwaters, and locals who later found it several kilometres downstream allegedly broke it open and made off with the cash inside. Police have taken 29 people into custody in connection with the incident. The cash box was reportedly swept away by floodwaters in the Bhote Koshi area of Rasuwa district on September 10.
It later turned up near Belkhukhola, on the banks of the Trishuli river, in Galchi Rural Municipality-4 of Dhading district. Police received information on September 12 that some locals had broken open the box and taken the cash inside, prompting officers to rush to the spot and launch an investigation.
In the preliminary investigation, police took 29 people into custody and recovered 92,68,505 Nepali rupees from them — equivalent to roughly Rs 57 lakh in Indian currency. Most of those detained belong to the Mastar area of Galchi-4, while others are from Adamghat in Galchi-6 and Adamtar in Siddhalekh-7. Police said a few others hail from the Chitwan and Parsa areas but are currently residing in Dhading.
Police said the ages of those detained range between 19 and 49. Investigations are underway to determine the rightful owner of the recovered cash and to identify any others who may be linked to the incident.
Meanwhile, another disturbing incident has come to light in Nepal. Police have arrested two people accused of stealing gold earrings from the body of a woman who was swept away in the floods in the Narayani river. A video that went viral on social media showed two men appearing to remove what looked like gold earrings from the woman’s body as it was being carried away by the floodwaters. Based on the video, police identified and arrested the two accused.