Seven days after Jerusha Rai went missing, there has still been no breakthrough in the case. Although locals of Chobhar, Pharping, Tikabhairav, and Katuwal Daha have told the search teams involved that they had sighted Rai, nothing significant has come out of those ‘sighting’ reports.

“We’ve acted on every possible sighting report, but nothing has come out of them. We cannot tell for sure if those reports are even credible,” says Sudheer Raj Shahi, SP of District Police Office (DPO), Lalitpur.

Shahi also added that DPO, Lalitpur, is coordinating with police branches of neighbouring areas in the search mission.

“We have also mobilised six police officers to monitor the banks of the Bagmati river in the Chobhar area,” added Shahi.

So far, search parties led by law enforcement officials and well-wishers of Rai, have focused on the Chobhar to Dakshinkali route and the areas near Sundarighat, where Rai was seen last in a CCTV footage.

“The fact that she left a note before leaving her home could speculate her chances of being in hiding. This is why we have also been searching for her in dharmashalas and ashrams, and other places she could take refuge in,” said Shahi.

Rai’s well-wishers are also looking for paid volunteers, private investigators, and scout teams through social media to accelerate the search.