A journey of faith and friendship spanning over twenty years ended in unimaginable tragedy on a remote mountain road in Nepal. Three men from Bihar, who had set out to welcome the New Year with prayers at the revered Pashupatinath Temple, lost their lives in a devastating accident, leaving their families and communities shattered.
A Pilgrimage Turns Into a Nightmare
The three friends, identified as Arvind Kumar (50) from Badi Ballia, Samarjit Kumar alias Bittu (40) from Shadipur Karari village in Ballia, Begusarai district, and Rajnish Kumar alias Golden (45), originally from Barh in Patna, embarked on their trip to Kathmandu on January 2. Bound by two decades of shared laughter and memories, their plan was to offer prayers and bring back blessings for the year ahead.
On January 3, they successfully visited the Pashupatinath Temple, sharing their joyous moments through photos and videos on social media. Filled with hope, they then planned to travel to Birganj for sightseeing. Their last communication with home came around 4 PM on January 4, when each called their families to confirm the completion of their pilgrimage and promised to return by morning with 'prasad'. After that, their phones went silent.
The Tragic Accident and the Desperate Search
For the next 24 hours, anxious relatives received no contact. The worried families began searching on January 6, only to discover the horrifying truth through Nepali media reports. The friends had died in a road accident.
Details gathered by the families indicate that the trio left Kathmandu on January 4 in an SUV headed towards Birganj. In a tragic turn of events, the vehicle met with an accident in Nepal’s Bagmati region, specifically in Makwanpur district. The SUV reportedly lost control near Judi Khet village on the Kulekhani–Kathmandu road and plunged approximately 100 metres into a deep gorge.
While other passengers in the vehicle were injured and rescued by locals, Arvind, Samarjit, and Rajnish were not as fortunate. They were rushed to the Hetauda government hospital, where they were declared dead.
A Heartbreaking Journey Home and Final Farewells
The ordeal for the grieving families was far from over. Relatives who travelled to Nepal on January 6 faced further challenges in bringing their loved ones back. Santosh Kumar, a relative of Samarjit, revealed that no ambulance was willing to transport all three bodies together. The families were forced to hire a pickup vehicle for Rs 20,000 to transport the bodies via the Raxaul border to Ballia in Begusarai district.
Their last rites were performed in their native villages on January 8. Arvind and Samarjit were cremated on the banks of the Ganga, while Rajnish's body was taken to Barh in Patna. In a poignant and powerful moment in Barh, Rajnish's two daughters insisted on shouldering their father's bier, stating it was their right and final journey with him—a sight that moved the entire village to tears.
The three men were pillars of their local communities. Rajnish, who had lived in Ballia for about 20 years, ran a successful iron business known for sourcing rare items. Arvind operated a general store in the Vyapar Mandal market and also ran businesses in belts and eyewear, often bringing stock from his frequent trips to Nepal, which he enjoyed with his two friends. Samarjit was engaged in farming. Their sudden loss has left a void filled with unanswered questions and profound grief, a cruel end to a friendship that had stood strong for decades.
