Kaski. Govinda Bahadur Adhikari of Pokhara-14 inclusive toll working at the customs office at Timure in Rasuwa had planned to come home this time on Teej. He was thinking of celebrating Teej with his sisters and gifting them the new clothes he bought for them.
On the evening of August 9, he shared happiness with his family and sisters, showing the clothes he had bought through a 'video call' and saying, 'How is this color?'
His dream of giving Teej gifts to his sisters and celebrating the festival with his family was forever unfulfilled. A 47-year-old officer working as a vehicle driver at the Timure Customs Office was lost in the devastating flood that occurred in the Bhotekoshi River on August 10 last year. His condition in the flood is unknown since then.
According to his colleague, who managed to return with his life after the incident, the officer was working in the office along with other friends before the flood. In the same flood, 15 employees of the customs office were lost.
The officer, who was transferred from Pokhara airport customs office to Timure about six months ago, had come home twice in the meantime. The family members kept hoping that he would return home safely, but there was no news of him.
Officials were in touch with the family until the morning of the flood. After that, the family could not have any contact with him.
The family repeatedly called his mobile phone. He searched in different places and even searched the hospital and the places where the bodies were kept. At first, the family did not give up hope that he would return safely, saying that they could not be contacted due to the difficult geography.
The family's hopes ended after returning to Pokhara after seeing the scene directly on Thursday. After not receiving any information for a long time, the family started Kazkiria by cremating Kush's body according to Hindu rituals and burying it in Seti river at Ramghat on Friday.
Son Vinay Adhikari said that the family was in contact with his father until the morning of the day of the flood, but there was no conversation after that.
"We prayed a lot that my father would come safely. But we could not get any information. After reaching Timure yesterday and returning in the evening, seeing the situation there, there is no place to hope that my father will come." He said with a grim face and dull voice.
Vinay said that after his father's disappearance, the family searched in various hospitals and places in the hope that at least his body would be found. The family went there to identify the body after seeing a picture of a dead body in Dhading. However, after seeing the body directly, it was confirmed that it was not that of the officer.
"When we looked at the picture of the dead body found in Dhading, we went," said Vinay, "but based on the tattoo on the arm, it was confirmed that the body was not that of my father."
Madhav Baral, president of Nepal Journalist Association Kaski, who is a neighbor and close friend of the officer, said that since the officer has been out of contact, silence has fallen in the community.
He said that after the disappearance of the helpful, friendly and sociable officer, the people of the village are also continuously searching. He said that even though he reached Pokhara, Chitwan and other hospitals in search of the dead body or any other clues, he could not get any information for a long time.
"Even though he went to Timure during his job, we used to talk daily. Even though he was far away, he was always interested in the village and the neighborhood. He had a nature to move forward when someone was in trouble. Such an unimaginable incident of a friend has caused us deep pain," expressed Baral.
Active in social work, the officer was equally interested in song and music. As joint secretary of the inclusive tol, he played an active role in the problem solving and development of the tol.
His other special introduction was the melodious tune of Murli. Especially when friends are gathered, his art of mesmerizing everyone by playing the flute has become a memory for the villagers.
According to neighbor Ghanshyam Pandey, the officer never left Murali when he was at home.
"As soon as his friends gathered, he used to play the murli and mesmerize everyone. When he was at home, the murli was always with him. That's why we have kept one murli along with Kush's body. We have kept another murli at home for his memory," said Pandey.
The family of an officer who had a permanent home in the then Mijung borough of Tanahun and the present Bhanu Municipality-5 has been living in Pokhara-14, inclusive toll for the past 15 years. He has a mother, wife, one son, one daughter, three older brothers and one sister.
After the devastating flood in Rasuwa last August 10, 12 people from Pokhara are still without contact. The families who have not received any information about the incident are still hoping that their loved ones will come.
Chitrangat Baral, Assistant Chief District Officer of Kaski, said that the three people who were out of touch after the flood came in contact with their families later. He informed that the condition of others is still unknown.
National News Committee is the official news organization of Nepal.
