Father and son drown while crossing Karnali river after boat capsizes while transporting grass

Achham: The incident took place on Baisakh 3 when Pahal Singh Budha, 35, of Bhairavsthan Balde in Turmakhand Rural Municipality-3, had gone to the Panchpuri area of Surkhet with his two sons, Dilip and Naresh, to cut grass.

Among them, 14-year-old Dilip, the eldest son, had gone to cut grass using a wooden boat. He first sent his father and younger brother across the river one by one, and crossed last himself. After reaching the other side, Pahal Singh set a net in the Karnali River, after which all three of them cut grass. After cutting three heavy loads of grass, in the evening, Dilip loaded all three bundles onto the boat one by one.

After loading the grass, Dilip took the boat back into the Karnali River to bring his father and brother across. It was already dusk. Dilip offered to take his father across first, but Pahal Singh refused, saying Dilip was tired from carrying grass and that it was already night, suggesting they all go together. Despite Dilip’s refusal to proceed that way, his father insisted.

Shortly after, the boat capsized in the middle of the river. As it overturned, Dilip managed to swim to the riverbank and informed people nearby while crying for help. When the boat overturned, 11-year-old Naresh became trapped inside. Pahal Singh rescued Naresh from where he was trapped and carried him on his back before attempting to swim across the river. However, while crossing, both father and son disappeared in the strong current. Family members and locals searched throughout the night, but they were not found.

Later, the Armed Police Force Khaptad Gulma disaster rescue team, divers from Surkhet, local residents, and Nepal Police carried out continuous search operations and recovered the bodies of Naresh and Pahal Singh from the gorge of the Karnali River on April 5 and 6 respectively.

Following the deaths of the father and son, the entire village, along with the family, has been in mourning. Pahal Singh’s main occupation was agriculture. Living on the banks of the Karnali River, the family’s livelihood depended on fishing and livestock farming. The eldest son, Dilip, is a Grade 8 student at Basundhara Secondary School in Thalpata, while Naresh was studying in Grade 4.

After losing her husband and minor son, 33-year-old Shantikumari Majhi has not yet fully recovered from the shock, and the family is now facing uncertainty about their livelihood.

Risky River Crossing Due to Lack of Bridge

There is no suspension bridge at the location, forcing locals to cross the river at great risk even for daily household needs. Local Durg Bahadur BC said that despite repeated requests for a suspension bridge in the area surrounded by the Karnali River, no action has been taken. He added that due to the dry terrain of Achham, residents are compelled to go towards Surkhet to collect grass. “We have to bring grass across the Karnali; we never know what might happen,” he said.