Kathmandu: A cash safe swept away by devastating floods in Nepal has become the centre of a major theft investigation, with police detaining 29 people and recovering more than Rs 92.68 lakh from their possession.
The safe was reportedly carried away by floodwaters from the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa on September 10. It was later discovered along the Trishuli River near Belkhukhola in Dhading’s Galchhi Rural Municipality.
Police received information on September 12 that people in the area had allegedly broken open the safe and removed the cash stored inside. A police team was subsequently dispatched to the location, leading to the detention of 29 people during the initial investigation.
Authorities recovered Rs 92,68,505 from those detained. Most of the suspects are residents of Mastar in Galchhi, while others are from nearby areas. Some reportedly originally belong to Chitwan and Parsa but are currently residing in Dhading.
Police are now investigating the source of the money and determining whether more people were involved in the alleged theft.
In a separate incident, two people were arrested over allegations that they removed gold earrings from the body of a woman who had been swept away by floodwaters in the Narayani River. The arrests followed the circulation of a video that reportedly showed the alleged act.
The incidents emerged as Nepal continued to deal with the enormous impact of the floods. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority revised the disaster toll on Saturday, reporting 626 confirmed deaths and 2,426 people still missing.
The number of missing Nepali citizens rose sharply from 1,924 reported the previous night, while 517 foreign nationals remained unaccounted for.
Search and rescue operations continue across affected areas as authorities work to locate missing people and assess the full extent of the destruction caused by the floods.
