Deputy Chief held as post-election tensions escalate in Accham

KATHMANDU: Long-standing political tensions in Panchadewal Binayak Municipality of Accham district have flared once again, culminating in the recent arrest of District Coordination Committee Vice-Chairperson Danamati Shah and two others.

The arrests, confirmed by District Police Chief DSP Ishwori Prasad Bhandari, follow allegations of inhumane and degrading treatment.

Vice-Chairperson Shah, elected from the Nepali Congress party, was detained on Baisakh 17 based on complaints lodged by opposing parties.

The political unrest dates back to the Baisakh 30, 2079 BS local elections, where clashes between Nepali Congress and CPN-UML supporters escalated into a series of violent confrontations.

Central to the turmoil is the mysterious death of 13-year-old Binod Shah, a resident of Ward 4 of the municipality, whose body was discovered in a nearby forest on Jestha 21, 2079 BS.

His death has intensified political and social tensions, with both parties accusing each other of involvement in the incident.

CPN-UML supporters have directly blamed Congress activists for the alleged murder, while Congress leaders have categorically denied the accusations.

The matter, which is under judicial review in the district court, reached a boiling point on Falgun 18, 2081 BS when both parties clashed in front of the court.

The confrontation led to injuries, including one Danamati Shah supporter, Dropati Shah, while another witness, Dinesh Nepali, filed a caste-based discrimination complaint, further complicating the legal proceedings.

Amid the investigations, multiple individuals—Ramesh Shah, Devendra Shah, and Lalit Bahadur Shah—were released on bail of Rs 125,000 each, while fugitives Bakhat Shah and Ganesh Shah later surrendered and were released on bail of Rs 225,000 and Rs 125,000 respectively.

The police have now registered a total of eight different cases involving 97 individuals in relation to the ongoing conflict. “Except for children under the age of 10, nearly every adult in the village is facing some form of legal complaint,” said DSP Bhandari. “We attempted reconciliation, but after those efforts failed, legal action became necessary.”