A 21-year-old man drowned while swimming in a pond in Taplejung on Friday.

The victim, Lakpa Sherpa, worked at the United Mewakhola Hydropower project and was swimming in the pond located at ward 3 of Meringden Rural Municipality.

According to Police Inspector Bibek Basnet, spokesperson for the District Police Office in Taplejung, locals attempted to rescue Sherpa, but he was found unresponsive when pulled from the water.

Following an initial investigation, the body has been sent to the district hospital for a postmortem examination.