Nidhi pledges to leave no stone unturned in search for ex- Minister missing in Ghoptebhir accident

Chitwan / Sept 27: Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi has said the government would leave no stone unturned in the search for former minister Madhav Prasad Ghimire and his younger brothers went missing in the fatal jeep accident that occurred at Ghoptebhir of Chitwan on Sunday.

Minister Nidhi who arrived here this afternoon to inspect the incident site and take stock of the progress on the search operation directed the authorities concerned to take all elaborative measures to find out the status of the missing individuals in the accident.

Following the on-site inspection to the incident site, he took part in a press meet organised by the Nepal Press Union, Chitwan.

On the occasion, he said the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army have launched collaborative search for the missing persons.

Likewise, 560 security personnel have been mobilised from the incident site to up to the Indian border to assist the search efforts. A metal detector and an equipment to see underwater have been used in the search efforts, he said. Security squads have continued the search efforts even during the night. Skilled divers have been hired to assist the search mission while the Indian Seema Suraksha Bal is also cooperating with the Nepali side in the search works.

“The government is ready to take every possible measure to find out the status of the missing minister and his two younger brothers,” he said.

The Home Minister further promised better medical treatment for the jeep driver left fatally injured in the accident, pledging to intensify crackdown on the possible violations of traffic rules in the days ahead.

The Scorpio jeep carrying former Home Minister Ghimire, his mother, two younger brothers, nephew and body guard had skidded off the road at Ghoptebhir of Darechowk-3, Chitwan along the Prithvi Highway and fell into the Trishuli River. The jeep (Ba 9 Cha 1531) was en route to the capital from Mukninath of Mustang after a religious trip.

So far the bodies of three including Ghimire’s mother have been retrieved from the site while driver Bishnu Rai was rescued in a critical condition. RSS