Saptari, Banke ma americi nagrik mrit fela. Police on Thursday recovered a body of an American national near Paruwakhola River in Shusmshergunj of Mahadevpuri VDC, Banke along the East-West Highway on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Edward Wheeler of Virginia, USA. He was carrying a passport with registration number 506070155. According to DSP Janak Shahi of the Area Police Office, Kohalpur, Wheeler had left Kathmandu for Dhangadhi boarding a bus (Na 5 Kha 1818) on Wednesday morning. Shahi said that Wheeler was swept away by the swollen Puruwakhola River while he was trying to cross it at around 6 am this morning. Police said that the body was found at around 9 am. DSP Shahi said that that traffic along the highway has been obstructed after the bridge over the Puruwakhola River caved-in a week ago. Hence, passengers were forced to cross the river on foot to reach the other side of the bridge. The authorities have given responsibility to the Armed Police Force (APF) to take the passengers to the other side of the bridge. Locals said that the incident occurred due to negligence of the APF personnel.