Achham: Eleven of the 13 mules stuck in the middle of a suspension bridge over the Karnali River on Sunday have been rescued alive. Unfortunately, two of the animals died. The mules became trapped when the deck of the bridge tilted, causing their feet to get caught in the holes of the wire mesh that formed the side barrier of the bridge.

The incident occurred while the mules were crossing a suspension bridge linking Kalekanda in the Achham district and Khidkijyula in the Dailekh district. A part of the bridge's steel mesh deck gave way, trapping the mules since around 11 am on Sunday.

Deputy Superintendent of Achham Police, Santosh Pathak, explained that the animals were rescued by cutting the wire mesh and dropping them into the river below. "Two mules died during the rescue operation, but we successfully rescued the remaining mules with the help of boats," he said.

The right side of the bridge deck had tilted as the herd of mules was crossing, causing their legs to get stuck in the wire mesh. Teams from the Gorakhbaks Company of the Nepalese Army, the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, and local residents were involved in the rescue effort. -- RSS