Two Children Found Dead After Falling from Cliff in Khotang; Four Others Found Safe

Two children, aged 11 and 6, from Diprung Chuichumma Rural Municipality-3 in Khotang district, were found dead after falling from a cliff, while four other children who had gone missing with them were found safe.

Govinda Basnet, a resident of Sapatel in Chorumbu and an office assistant at Shanti Niketan Secondary School, lost his 11-year-old daughter Menisha and 6-year-old son Meghraj after they went missing along with four other children on July 7 (Saun 22). The children had left their home but did not attend school that day, as Basnet was delayed due to the installation of a dish antenna.

According to former Ward Chairman Indrabhadur Basnet of Chorumbu, the children had wandered across various locations, including crossing the Sapsukhola River near the border of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-11 Rajapani and Chorumbu. They were found to have reached near the Three Star Hydropower plant before returning, but took a wrong path and ended up near the ward-2 area called Khamare, where they were eventually found dead after falling from a cliff.

The bodies were discovered near Kharuwakhola; the elder daughter's body was found near a child’s sandal, and the younger son’s body was located slightly above. The two children died from falling, according to local residents.

The other four children, including Basnet’s daughter from his sister’s family, were found safe near a shelter close to the accident site. They had reportedly spent the night there after getting separated from their friends.

The bodies of the two children were cremated on Friday in Chorumbu without informing the police. Police Inspector Sushant Mishra of Khotang District Police Office stated that they only learned about the incident after the cremation had been done. He emphasized that according to law, the bodies of those who die from accidents or unnatural causes must undergo mandatory post-mortem examinations before cremation.

The police have launched an investigation and dispatched a team to the site to secure the area. They plan to exhume the bodies for examination on Sunday.

The family and the local community are now facing difficulties due to the cremation being conducted without legal procedures.