'Too Low': 2 Men Arrested After Viral Video Shows Them Looting Nepal Flood Victim

A viral video led to two arrests in Nepal after social media users condemned the alleged looting of a flood victim during catastrophic flooding.

According to reports, Nepal Police arrested Madan Gurung, 25, and Umesh Chaudhary, 38, on 27 August after identifying them in a video showing two men removing gold earrings from the body of an unidentified woman. The video emerged as Nepal faced a devastating flood disaster that killed at least 359 people, with hundreds more reported missing.

Viral Nepal Flood Video Shows Men Removing Gold

The roughly 40-second video shows two men approaching the mud-covered body of a woman carried downstream by floodwaters. They appear to use a stick or pole to move the body, with descriptions of the footage saying one of the men pulled the woman by her hair.

The men then remove gold earrings from her ears and placed them aside.

Several people can be seen nearby, including some who appear to be filming the scene on their phones. The footage spread rapidly across social media, where users expressed shock at what they described as the looting of a Nepal flood victim.

Nepal Police described the treatment of the deceased as 'inhumane' and released a version of the footage with the woman's face blurred.

Nepal Police Arrest Two Men Over Flood Victim Looting

Police from the District Police Office in Chitwan identified the two men from the viral footage and arrested them on 27 August near Pokhara Bus Park in Bharatpur Metropolitan City.

The suspects were identified as Madan Gurung, 25, originally from Binayi Tribeni Rural Municipality in Nawalparasi, and Umesh Chaudhary, 38, originally from Chandabela Municipality in Sunsari. Both had been staying in Bharatpur.

Police are investigating the case as theft involving a deceased disaster victim. The woman shown in the footage had not been identified in initial reports, and authorities had not yet located her family.

Social Media Users Condemn Looting Video

The footage prompted an intense reaction online, with commenters focusing on the treatment of the dead woman during a disaster.

One user wrote that they initially thought the men were trying to rescue the victim from the 'filthy water', only to realise what was happening.

Another called the incident 'heartbreaking', asking how anyone could behave so cruelly during such a tragedy.

A separate commenter wrote that the men appeared to be pursuing gold rather than attempting to help the victim. Others condemned the behaviour as inhumane and described it as a violation of the dignity of the dead.

Some social media discussions also broadened into arguments about looting during disasters, with users sharing unrelated examples from other countries.

Nepal Floods Kill Hundreds as Search Continues

The arrests came as catastrophic flooding and landslides struck areas around Nepal's Bhotekoshi and related Trishuli river systems.

At least 359 people were killed, while hundreds remained missing in the disaster. A significant number of Indian nationals were also reported among those affected or missing.

Other footage circulating online showed people retrieving floating LPG cylinders and other objects from floodwaters, adding to concerns about opportunistic looting during the emergency.

For now, Gurung and Chaudhary remain in custody while investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the footage and the unidentified victim.

The case has become another disturbing episode emerging from Nepal's devastating floods, with the viral video drawing widespread condemnation over the alleged theft from a disaster victim.