Dolpa: Transport services across Dolpa district have been suspended indefinitely as tensions escalated between local residents and police over the disappearance of a local youth. Protests intensified after residents of Lha village in Tripurasundari Municipality–5 demanded justice, bringing all vehicular movement into and out of the district to a complete halt and leaving passengers stranded.
The situation turned tense on Friday evening after 34-year-old Jun Rokaya went missing during a police check near the Karopguard Area Police Office. Police have stated that Rokaya jumped into the Thuli Bheri River in panic when officers attempted to question him on suspicion of drug trafficking. However, locals have strongly accused the police of killing him, rejecting the official version of events.
Following the incident, residents of Lha village, along with Rokaya’s family members, reached the District Administration Office in Dunai on Saturday evening, demanding a fair investigation and accountability. Local representatives said a decision was taken to shut down transport services until the probe is completed. As the incident site lies along the district’s main transport route, all large and small vehicles have been stopped, with movement permitted only through special passes for medical emergencies and essential services.
As tensions escalated, angry locals vandalized the Karopguard police outpost on Saturday evening. Several police personnel were injured in the incident, and the police post sustained damage.
In response, the Provincial Police Office in Surkhet has formed a three-member investigation committee under the leadership of SP Ram Prasad Gharti Magar to ascertain the facts surrounding Rokaya’s disappearance. The District Police Office, Dolpa, has confirmed that the investigation team has already departed for the incident site.
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Ward No. 5 Chairman Nar Jhankri described the incident as deeply tragic, saying the village had lost a young man and that justice could only be ensured through a fair and transparent investigation.
Chief District Officer Bhimraj Koirala has appealed to locals to exercise restraint and refrain from disrupting traffic or engaging in further vandalism. He said the administration is prepared for dialogue in coordination with the local government and has committed to delivering justice based on the investigation’s findings.
Police have said that all ten officers deployed at the Karopguard Area Police Office have been recalled to the district headquarters. Four police officers who were directly involved at the time of the incident have been placed under surveillance at the District Police Office as part of the ongoing inquiry.
