Ranjit Gaire (35), Mishra Shrestha (35), Ram Kumar Shrestha (45) and Amrit Kumar Shrestha of Ghyalchowk-9, and Raju Silwal from Chitwan have been missing after the accident that occurred at 11:30 in the morning. Gaire is a vegetable vendor while Silwal was returning home after meeting his sister.[break]
Students Suraj Thapa (12) and Ramesh Regmi (11), and Suraj Khadka, Hira Khadka and Prem Shah, however, managed to swim to safety after falling into the river along with the missing five. "The wooden pole that supported the tuin collapsed soon after we moved away from the bank. The basket we were in bounced after it hit the water surface and we fell into the river," Suraj Khadka said. He said three persons were still inside the basket while seven were thrown out when the incident took place.
Most of the commuters were taking their vegetable produces to Charaudi Co-operatives in Jyamire, Dhading. "We can´t explain the accident. The load was smaller compared to other days," Suraj, who had helped others to swim to the bank, added.
Locals and police of Gorkha, Dhading and Chitwan are searching for the missing five using rafts. Locals obstructed the Prithvi Highway for around four hours demanding construction of a bridge over the river at the place. The highway was opened only after a team of a few Constituent Assembly members, chief district officer, local development officer and deputy superintendent of police from Gorkha expressed commitment to initiate process for construction of a bridge.
Tuins are the only means to cross rivers that do not have bridges as boating becomes difficult during monsoon in many villages in the country.
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