10 Forest Employees Detained as Investigation Begins Into Viral Kailali Tempo Incident

 

Kathmandu. The Sudurpashchim Province government has formed a five-member committee to investigate an incident in which a tempo was seen falling off a cliff during an anti-encroachment operation in Kailali, following the circulation of a viral video on social media.

The video, recorded in the Gaimare Chure forest area of Godavari Municipality-4, appears to show personnel associated with the Division Forest Office pushing a blue tempo off a roadside slope.

In response, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment of Sudurpashchim Province formed an investigation committee led by Provincial Forest Director Hemraj Bista. Other members include Assistant Chief District Officer Kiran Joshi, Senior Divisional Forest Officer Janak Padhya, Mechanical Engineer Dhojraj Joshi of the Kailali Transport Management Office, and Legal Officer Vijayaraj Ojha of the ministry.

According to ministry spokesperson Bharat Prasad Shrestha, the committee has been instructed to submit its report within seven days.

The incident occurred on July 13 while a team from the Division Forest Office, Dhangadhi, was carrying out a campaign to remove alleged encroachments from forest land. During the operation, a group that included forest personnel was seen moving the tempo, which subsequently fell down a cliff.

Following public criticism, the Division Forest Office said the vehicle had been parked in the forest area for a long time and was allegedly being used as a structure for encroachment purposes, such as a shop or roadside stall.

The office claimed the tempo was no longer operational and had deteriorated into a metal frame. Forest Officer Deepak Yadav said officials had repeatedly asked the owner to remove the vehicle. According to him, the tempo fell due to the terrain while authorities were attempting to relocate it and was not intentionally pushed off the cliff.

However, Dhanadevi Dhami, the wife of the vehicle owner, disputed the claim. She said the tempo was in working condition and had valid tax payments.

“We regularly drove the vehicle between the site and our home. I asked the officials to allow me to remove the goods and take the vehicle away myself, but they did not listen and pushed it off the cliff,” she said.

Meanwhile, police have taken 10 forest employees into custody for investigation in connection with the incident.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hira Singh Mahara of Malakheti Police Station said the employees were detained to facilitate further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the vehicle's fall.

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