Nepal Flood Loot case emerges after a cash-filled bank safe was swept away by floods and 29 people were detained after police recovered NPR 9.27 million.
Qalam Times News Network
Kathmandu | August 29, 2026
Nepal Flood Loot has become a startling side story to the devastation caused by the recent floods in Nepal, after a bank safe packed with bundles of cash was swept away by raging floodwaters and later found along the bank of the Trishuli River in Dhading district.
The Nepal Flood Loot case came to light after local residents allegedly broke open the safe and took the cash inside. Police said the safe had been carried away by floodwaters from the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa on August 27 before it was eventually discovered near Belkhukhola in Ward No. 4 of Galchi Rural Municipality in Dhading.
The incident unfolded as Nepal continued to struggle with the aftermath of severe flash floods. Rescue and relief operations have been intensified across affected areas, while the number of reported deaths has continued to rise. Thousands of people have been left dealing with the loss of homes, belongings and livelihoods.
Amid the emergency, the discovery of the floating bank safe created an unusual opportunity for some people who allegedly decided to take advantage of the situation.
According to Dhading police, officers received information on August 29 that a group of local residents had broken open the safe after it was found near the Trishuli River and had allegedly taken the money stored inside.
Police immediately dispatched a team to the area and began investigating the incident.
Authorities have detained 29 people in connection with the alleged looting. During the initial search, police recovered NPR 9,268,505 in cash from those detained.
The recovered amount is equivalent to roughly ₹57 lakh in Indian currency, based on the conversion stated in the initial report.
Nepal Flood Loot : Cash Recovered After Safe Was Found
The bank safe reportedly disappeared in the floodwaters on August 27 in the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa. The powerful current carried it downstream before it was later located on the banks of the Trishuli River near Belkhukhola in Dhading.
The safe reportedly contained stacks of currency notes arranged in bundles. Once residents discovered it, the situation allegedly turned into an incident of organised or group looting, prompting the police investigation.
Dhading police began questioning those detained and searching for additional cash that may have been taken from the safe.
The recovery of more than nine million Nepalese rupees represents only the amount found during the initial police operation. Authorities are expected to determine whether any further money remains missing and whether others were involved in the alleged theft.
The case has emerged at a time when Nepal is conducting large-scale relief and rescue operations following devastating flooding. The incident has drawn attention because of the contrast between the humanitarian crisis affecting flood-hit communities and the alleged decision by some individuals to exploit a valuable item washed away by the disaster.
Police are continuing their investigation to establish exactly how the safe was opened, how the cash was distributed and whether additional suspects were involved.
The detained individuals are expected to face further legal proceedings as investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the recovery and alleged removal of the money.
The unusual episode has added another layer to the unfolding story of Nepal’s flood disaster, where emergency agencies are simultaneously dealing with casualties, displacement and widespread damage while law-enforcement authorities investigate reports of opportunistic crime.
