Tragedy brings out the absolute worst in some people. When catastrophic flash floods and landslides slammed the Nepal-Tibet border region, destroying infrastructure and displacing thousands, a bizarre and disturbing scramble for money unfolded along the Trishuli River. A heavy bank safe, washed away from its original location in the upper catchment areas of Rasuwa, was carried downstream by raging floodwaters. It finally came to rest near Belkhukhola in the Dhading district.
What followed wasn't an effort to safeguard public property or report found assets to local authorities. Instead, locals swarmed the battered metal box. They broke it open and began pocketing the massive stash of money inside.
The Chase Along the Trishuli River
The safe contained a staggering 92,68,505 Nepalese rupees, which translates to roughly 58 million. As news of the washed-up vault spread along the riverbanks, a crowd quickly gathered to strip the asset of its contents before any emergency responders could secure the area.
Police didn't stay in the dark for long. Acting on tips and intelligence, a joint deployment of the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force rushed to the scene. Authorities launched an immediate sweep, tracking down individuals suspected of taking the cash.
Officers detained 29 people during the preliminary phase of the operation. Investigators recovered the entire sum of Rs 92.68 lakh directly from the possession of those taken into custody. The suspects, ranging in age from teenagers to older adults, now face severe legal consequences at the District Police Office in Dhading, where formal proceedings are moving forward.
A Wider Crisis of Opportunism
This grim episode didn't happen in a vacuum. The severe monsoon disaster across Nepal triggered massive devastation, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and billions of dollars in infrastructure damage. Yet, amidst widespread rescue efforts, law enforcement agencies have had to contend with a secondary wave of opportunistic crime.
In a separate viral incident that shocked the public, police arrested two men who spotted a woman's body being swept down the Narayani River. Instead of attempting a respectful recovery, a recorded video showed the men pulling the body ashore using her hair and wooden planks, only to rip gold earrings from her ears before leaving the remains. Both individuals were swiftly tracked down and arrested after the footage circulated widely online.
What Authorities Are Doing Now
Law enforcement officials are working hard to establish clear accountability. Investigators are examining the precise origin of the cash within the recovered bank vault, verifying bank ownership records, and determining whether additional individuals managed to slip away with portions of the money before the security lockdown.
Crimes committed during natural disasters carry heavy penalties under local laws. If you are ever faced with finding abandoned property, state funds, or disaster debris during an emergency, touching or looting items instead of alerting official rescue personnel can land you behind bars. The crackdown in Dhading proves that security forces are monitoring both physical safety and public integrity during the ongoing recovery phase.
