Home Minister Khand briefs House about formation of probe panel into Bardiya incident

KATHMANDU: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has informed the House of Representatives that a probe committee was formed to find out the truth and facts about the incident of police firing in course of opening the obstructed postal highway in Bardiya.

Responding to the queries over the incident in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Home Minister Khand said that a five-member committee was formed under the coordination of Joint-Secretary of the Home Ministry, Hari Ghimire, to carry out an investigation into the case.

Deputy General Manager of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Bed Kumar Dhakal, Superintendent of Police at Nepal Police, Krishna Koirala, Deputy Investigation Director of National Investigation Department, Bikas Pandey, and Under-Secretary of the Home Ministry, Dhruba Khadka, are the members of the probe committee.

Expressing commitment to take action against the guilty based on the report submitted by the probe committee, he clarified that it was the first responsibility of the government to protect citizen’s life.

The Home Minister said, “Action will be taken against the guilty once the truth and fact about the incident how the firing took place there and who gave the order to open fire is received.”

He further said that an all-side meeting has been taking place at the incident site and the process to normalize the situation has begun. Saying the government has made arrangements for the treatment of the injured, Minister Khand mentioned that the government was serious and that citizens should not be harmed by wildlife.

The Home Minister shared that an order was not issued to police to open in order to bring the incident under control.

“There is no order to open fire. Chief District Officer of Bardiya is of the opinion that he did not issue an order to open fire. But firing took place there. The Home Ministry formed a probe committee this morning to find out the truth and fact about the incident”, he added.

A leopard had attacked Surendra Tharu, 41, of Madhuban Municipality-2 in Bardiya on Monday morning while he was working on the farm. Tharu sustained injuries in the leopard attack, informed Home Minister Khand.

A team deployed from Kothiyaghat Police Post rescued the injured Tharu and taken to Nepalgunj for treatment, he said.

Following the wildlife attack, the Mudhuwan folks including the officials of a local community forest obstructed the PostalHighway at Orali Bazar demanding the risk prevention from wildlife, and the construction of security fences along the parking area and their safety.

Stating that the irate mob resorted to physical attacks on the security forces for the latter’s attempt to remove the traffic obstructions. The security forces reportedly tried to convince the mob to clear the obstruction but in vain. In defence, the security forces threw some rounds of teargas shells and fired resulting in the death of local Nabina Tharu Chaudhary.

Meanwhile, the Home Minister assured of maximum punishment against perpetrators of sexual violence.

Terming the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl of Raptisonari of Banke condemnable and extremely sad, the Minister said all the accused in the crime are already in police detention. As he informed the House, a police squad from the Dhanauji police beat of Khajura arrested all the seven accused in the incident.

One Hemraj Tharu of Baijanath, Banke had invited the girl for his birthday celebrations and gang-raped her with the involvement of his other six colleagues at Phulbari. Stated that the survivor was under medical care with the help of local administration, and she was under the protection of a non-government organisation.

He assured of the highest degree of punishment against the perpetrators so as to what he said to discourage the cases of rape and sexual assaults.

“I support the voices for revising and amending provisions in the law to discourage sexual violence and to create an atmosphere for a decent livelihood for survivors of rape,” he said.

The Minister utilised the platform to say that he would take initiation for ensuring the incorporation of the curriculum providing information for the prevention of sexual violence and punishment for the crime in school texts.

MPs draw Home Minister’s attention

Demanding time from Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota in a session of the House of Representatives prior to this, the lawmakers called the attention of the Home Minister over various incidents and sought answers on them.

Bimala BK said the terror of wild animals has increased in Bardiya National Park and demanded that the human and physical losses caused by the wild animals be stopped. She said that 41-year-old Surendra Tharu of Sonama Rural Municipality, Madhuban Municipality-2 was attacked by a leopard when he was working in his field on Monday.

She added that the police fired at the locals including the office-bearers of the local community forest users committee who were protesting over the incident demanding checking the wild animals’ attacks, construction fence around the park and protection of human life, in course of opening the Hulaki Road which the locals had blocked in protest. BK denounced the incident of police firing, calling for an impartial investigation into the ‘police excesses’.

Purna Kumari Subedi demanded an investigation into the incident of gang rape on a 16-year-old girl in Banke on May 5 and stern action against the culprits. “How long do our daughters and fellow women have to remain insecure and when will action be taken against the culprits,” she demanded an answer from the government.

Lal Bahadur Thapa accused the government of exerting inappropriate pressure for influencing the local election at Budhiganga Municipality in the Bajura district and questioned who gave the authority to the District Security Committee to suspend the election.