Body found in drinking water tank

KATHMANDU: A dead body has been found inside a water supply tank at Manahari, Myagde Rural Municipality-4 in Tanahun district.

The body was discovered this morning in the reservoir of the Manahari Pipaltar Drinking Water Project at Manahari near the Prithvi Highway.

Chandra Kumar Malla, secretary of the water consumers committee, said the sighting was made when the committee opened the lid of the water tank after the consumers complained of the water distributed from the project was putrid and reeking.

“The consumers had complained of the water from the taps at their houses was stinking since two to three days. When we opened the cover of the water tank this morning, we were taken aback to see a body in there,” Malla said. He added that he believed the water must have been murky as the distribution pipes near the highway were frequently broken in course of the highway expansion works going on at present.

“The pipes are snapped almost daily. I had thought the water might have become smelly due to this. But when the odour became intense, we decided to check in the water tank. When two of us opened the cover of the tank, we were shocked when we saw the dead body,” Malla elaborated.

He said the identity of the body is not established yet and it appears that it might have been dumped after murder. “We saw something like hair when we opened the cover. Then we saw clothes as well. We immediately informed the police about this,” he added.

The consumers committee has been supplying water to 138 houses at Manahari. Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Mohan Bahadur Khand confirmed of the finding of a body inside the water tank and said they have started investigation in this connection.