Somlal Bhlon of Manthali-2 in the district has lost his ring finger of his right hand.

His father Buddhilal also lost his ring finger while his 14-year-old sister is without the middle finger.

Somlal said all of them lost their fingers while crossing the Bagmati river using Tuin. Their fingers got crushed by the pulley while pulling a carrier fixed on the twine.

Like Somlal, Krishna BK of Aambas in Manthali-2 said four members of his family also lost one finger each in similar incidents. A majority of villagers in Aambas area have lost their fingers to the Tuin.

According to Sumanlal Dong of Gimdi-9 in Lalitpur, almost all villagers have lost their one finger to Tuins. Dong said the settlement is infamously known as “a

village of people without finger”.

Local residents at Aambas, Solithum and surrounding areas were compelled to cross the river using the Tuin to reach neighbouring Gimdi or Aasrang area for education, market and other works.

They also need to cross the river to go to Kathmandu.

VDC Secretary Krishna Prasad Sapkota said almost all villagers in Aambas and Manthali area have lost their fingers due to Tuin accidents.

Likewise, people who visit Aambas or Manthali or have farmlands in the area have also lost their fingers. Shanti Ghimire of Gimdi-9, who owns farmland in Aambas, said she also lost her middle finger while using the Tuin.

Villagers, however, are elated as the government recently constructed a 139-meter suspension bridge across the river at Suvanebeshi near Manthali VDC-2. Around 300 people from Manthali, Shikharpur, Betini and surrounding villages have been benefited after the bridge.

According to the Suspension Bridge Division, there are 228 Tuins across the country. The government has decided to replace all such Tuins with bridges within the next two years.