Rukum West, March 12 -- A remote village in Rukum West has plunged into grief after two young girls were found dead and another went missing while returning home from a wedding feast, leaving devastated families and a shaken community searching for answers.

The victims, 11-year-old Kalpana Oli and her sister 13-year-old Urmila Oli of ward 3 of Banphikot Rural Municipality were found dead on Tuesday morning along the banks of the Sani Bheri river, about 200 metres apart. The victims' cousin, 13-year-old Sapana Oli, who accompanied them, remains missing as of Thursday evening.

According to family members, the three girls had gone to attend a wedding feast in Bhalkhola, ward 1 of Musikot Municipality, roughly an hour's walk from their vill...