BAJURA: A fisherman died after falling from a cliff in Bajura’s Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality-2 on Sunday, while eight others who attempted to rescue him remain trapped.
Pusse Bhandari, 38, of Fayal village, was fishing at the Karnali River when he slipped and fell from the riverbank at around 4 pm. Despite suffering broken limbs, he managed to call his relatives for help.
Eight of his relatives rushed to the scene but became stranded on a steep cliff while attempting to reach him. With the Karnali River below and a sheer rock face above, they found themselves stuck with no safe route out.
Ward Chairman Bishnu Bahadur Budha confirmed that Bhandari died from his injuries before help could arrive.
“The person who fell from the cliff has already died, and rescuing those who went for the rescue is proving to be a bigger challenge,” he said.
A police team has been at the site since Sunday evening, but rescue efforts have been hindered by the difficult terrain.
Authorities are preparing to bring boats from Himali Rural Municipality to facilitate the rescue from the river. Locals have suggested lowering the trapped individuals to the riverbank as the safest option.
Chief District Officer Meghnath Upadhyay said that a helicopter rescue is not feasible due to the location of the deceased and the stranded individuals.
“The body is in the river gorge, and the rescuers are stuck midway on the cliff. We are exploring alternative rescue methods to ensure their safety,” he said.
Rescue operations are ongoing as officials coordinate efforts to bring the trapped individuals down safely.
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