21-year-old Koshal Parajuli, who came to the United States last year to pursue his studies, tragically drowned while attempting to save his friend, Suraksha Ghimire, at Turner Falls Park in Oklahoma. Originally from Manigram in Rupandehi, Koshal had only recently moved to Texas for his studies, having arrived in the US on a student visa.
The incident occurred on Monday evening when Koshal and 4 friends, including Suraksha Ghimire, went swimming at Turner Falls Park. Suraksha, a fellow student from Jhapa, Nepal, was in danger of drowning, and Koshal bravely tried to rescue her. Unfortunately, he was pulled underwater in the process.
The Davis Police and Murray County EMS responded to the emergency call and found that both Koshal and Suraksha had drowned. Suraksha was rescued from the water by family members and onlookers before being treated at a hospital.
Rescue efforts for Koshal were conducted by the Davis Fire Department, who located his body about 15 minutes after their arrival, approximately 8 feet underwater. Despite attempts to revive him, Koshal was pronounced dead by Murray County EMS around 9 p.m. He had been underwater for an estimated 25 minutes.
Koshal, the son of Pashupati and Sapana Parajuli, had moved to Manigram from Darpuk in Palpa, Nepal. His sudden and tragic death has brought an untimely end to his dreams. In response, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched by Kamal Pokharel and his family to gather financial support for Koshal’s final rites and related expenses.
Those wishing to contribute can do so by clicking here.
The Davis Fire Department reported that the group had entered a closed swimming area at Turner Falls Park, leading to the tragic incident.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
