The devastating floods that swept across Nepal have triggered an unusual criminal investigation after a cash safe washed away by floodwaters was allegedly broken open and emptied.
Police in Dhading have detained 29 people in connection with the incident and recovered more than ₹92.68 lakh in cash, officials said.
Flood-carried safe found in Dhading
The safe was reportedly swept away from the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa during the floods on September 10. It was later discovered along the Trishuli River near Belkhukhola in Galchhi Rural Municipality-4 of Dhading.
Authorities were alerted on September 12 after receiving information that people in the area had opened the safe and taken the money stored inside.
Following the report, Dhading Police dispatched a team to the location and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery.
During the initial investigation and searches, officers detained 29 individuals and recovered Rs 92,68,505 from their possession.
Most suspects from Galchhi area
Police said most of those detained are residents of Mastar in Galchhi-4. Others reportedly come from Adamghat in Galchhi-6 and Adamtar in Siddhalek-7.
Some of the suspects originally come from Chitwan and Parsa but are currently residing in Dhading.
Investigators are now attempting to establish where the money originated and determine whether anyone else may have been involved in taking cash from the safe.
The investigation remains underway as police examine the recovered money and gather further evidence.
Two arrested over gold earrings taken from flood victim
In a separate and disturbing case linked to the floods, police arrested two people over the alleged theft of gold earrings from the body of a woman who had been swept away by floodwaters.
The arrests followed the circulation of a video that reportedly showed two men removing what appeared to be gold earrings from the body of a female flood victim carried downstream in the Narayani River.
The incident has added another troubling dimension to the aftermath of Nepal's deadly floods, as authorities continue rescue, recovery and investigation operations.
Nepal Floods: Death toll and missing persons rise
Meanwhile, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority significantly revised its casualty figures on Saturday as rescue operations continued.
The disaster authority said 626 people had been confirmed dead, while 2,426 people were reported missing.
The number of missing people represented a sharp increase from the 1,924 reported the previous Friday night. The number of foreign nationals listed as missing remained at 517.
The updated figures came three days after severe flooding affected multiple parts of Nepal. Search and rescue teams were still working to locate missing people and assess the destruction caused by the floods.
