Bereaved families exhibit dead bodies of 4 drowned girls, demand compensation

KATHMANDU, Aug 6: The bereaved family and relatives of the four girls, who drowned in open pits that were dug up for road construction, have exhibited the dead bodies at Gaur Chupur along Birendra Highway road section as protest against the gross negligence of  road authorities and contractors.

The four girls, Sunaina Kumari aged 9, Sangeeta Kumari aged 12, Sunita Kumari aged 9 and Susmita Kumari aged 9, drowned in Garuda Municipality-4, Rautahat district on Saturday when they jumped into an open road pit that was consequently abandoned without filling.

Due to the pouring rainfall that occurred for the past four days, the pits alongside the under-construction road section from Garuda to Pani Thaki were filled up with water.

The girls were had stopped there to take a bath because of the heat while returning from a local forest after collecting fodder when the incident occurred.

The families of the deceased have accused the authorities concerned of doing negligence that claimed lives of their loved ones and have asked for compensation and strict action against the contractors.

The road construction contract was taken by Durga Construction Company in May. Area Police Gaurda have taken Prahalad Shah, proprieter of the company into custody for investigation. However, Shah has rejected any blame. Further investigation over the incident is being carried out, according to the local police.