Hrishita Deo
Kumaripati, Lalitpur
05:29pm, 27 Jan, 2011
A cop’s death on Saturday, which initially looked like a suicide, now, with new findings, investigating officials say has slightly tilted towards what they call ‘a case of murder’.
DSP Kanchan Thapa was found dead in Basundhara with a wound in his right temple. The police had recovered a Germany-made revolver loaded with nine rounds of bullets.
An investigating official today said it didn’t look like a wound caused by the revolver. “A revolver bullet hole though is small at the entry point, it leaves a sizable opening at the exit point due to the spin while passing through the body parts,” said the official. “Had the revolver been used, there would have been a cone-shaped wound.”
What is more baffling is no bullet shell was found. “It seems a homemade gun was used, as a bullet fired from a homemade gun travels straight,” added the official, arguing that one bullet ‘might have been fired randomly or removed from Thapa’s revolver to give the incident a colour of suicide’.
The police have also found a handkerchief pressed under the revolver, which the official said, was used to avoid fingerprints. “DSP Thapa would not do so if he shot himself.”
The police have arrested seven persons, including Khop Kumari Adhikari also known as Shweta (25) of Rasuwa and Phurba Lama (37) of Sindhupalchowk, for questioning. The third floor of the house, where the police officer was found dead, was rented by Shweta. Thapa was living together with her for the last 15 months.
“We have found that Shweta and three others owed Thapa Rs 5 million. They might have plotted the murder to skirt payment,” said the official.
Though Shweta argued that she was married to DSP Thapa, she failed to produce ample evidences to corroborate the claim. “She looks pretty normal; it does not even look like the DSP’s death has grieved her,” added the official.
Thursday, January 27
College girl stabbed to death, 3 injured in police fight
Hrishita Deo
Kumaripati, Lalitpur
A Plus Two college girl was stabbed to death by her classmate in Siraha early Thursday morning, spurring a protest in which at least three persons were injured after police intervened in a bid to bring the situation under control.
Punam Kumari Singh, an eleventh grader of Janata Higher Secondary School, of Chandra Udayapur-2 of the district was stabbed to death by her classmate Santosh Chaudhary at around 7 am today, while she was cycling to the school. She was attacked just in front of the school gate.
Singh died on the spot after she received multiple knife injuries on various parts of her body. Attacker Chaudhary, who also hails from the same locality, however managed to escape the scene. Singh’s body has been taken to Lahan, the district headquarters, for autopsy.
Following the incident, the students, locals and Singh’s relatives halted the East-West Highway protesting the murder, leaving thousands of passengers stranded on the road. The protesters vandalised eight vehicles in course of the protest.
With the protest turning violent, police fired several rounds of shots and tear gas canisters, leaving at least three persons injured. One of the injured, Arun Kumar Mahato, suffered a bullet injury in the leg. He has been receiving treatment at a Lahan hospital. Meanwhile, the situation is gradually returning to normal after the protesters and local administration reached an understanding this afternoon to end the protest.
The transport services on the highway resumed after the local administration agreed to nab the murderer at the earliest, and provide due compensation to the victim’s family. The protesters have also asked for action against the police personnel involved in the firing.
Monday, January 24
Post-slap fame falls into Regmi's lap
Hrishita Deo
Kumaripati, Lalitpur
An insult to any visionary political leader can never be justified. But, by slapping CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal at a party’s program in Itahari on Thursday, Devi Prasad Regmi (55) of Bharoul-5, Sunsari, seems to have attained celebrity status.
Though the existing law has confined Regmi in custody for public offence, a number of people, fed up with the political scenario have started campaigning in his support. Thousands of comments on online news reports are also entirely in his support.
The audiences, who commented on the story, also mentioned interesting facts as to why the government kept silent and did not initiate action against Minister Karima Begam who slapped the then Parsa CDO Durga Prasad Bhandary and Maoist CA members who thrashed Finance Minister Surendra Pandey.
A support link created on Facebook for Devi Prasad Regmi is liked by more than 5,300 people. No one seems to have commented against him. Regmi’s well-wishers have termed him a ‘national hero’ and ‘celebrity’.
An organized group in Kathmandu has hosted a website under the domain of www.deviprasadregmi.info with an appeal to help Regmi, terming him a ‘representative of 30 million Nepalese’. The group has collected more than Rs 14,000 from Regmi’s well-wishers across the world.
Another group in USA also initiated a campaign to release him on bail. Bimal Guragain, a member of Nepal-America Ekta Samaj said they were ready to help Regmi.
“The government that cannot take action against a minister for assaulting a CDO has no moral strength to imprison a common farmer who tried to warn a leader against ruining the nation,” he said.
Nepali Diasporas in Qatar, Belgium, Japan, Britain and other countries also united to support him. Kumar Prasad Regmi, who is coordinating the support campaign from Belgium, told THT Daily that the fund will be used to bail him out and provide him with social security. Kedar Bista and his relatives in Madhubani, Sunsari have announced to donate Rs 28,000 to release him on bail.
Political analyst Prof. Krishna Khanal said the incident indicated the real position of Nepali politicians. “Regmi’s action is punishable by law, but the incident can be taken as an indicator of the existing relationship between leaders and general public,” he added. The incident is a strong lesson for leaders, he said.
Regmi is a poor farmer with a small house and a kathha of land in Bharoul. His son Mahesh said, “We are not worried of his act, but we are affected, as the sole main source of income has been imprisoned.” Regmi’s confinement has added to the woes of his sick mother.
Earlier, Regmi had justified his action, saying Khanal and political leaders like him were to be blamed for promising the moon to people and keeping the country hostage for long.
Though the existing law has confined Regmi in custody for public offence, a number of people, fed up with the political scenario have started campaigning in his support. Thousands of comments on online news reports are also entirely in his support.
The audiences, who commented on the story, also mentioned interesting facts as to why the government kept silent and did not initiate action against Minister Karima Begam who slapped the then Parsa CDO Durga Prasad Bhandary and Maoist CA members who thrashed Finance Minister Surendra Pandey.
A support link created on Facebook for Devi Prasad Regmi is liked by more than 5,300 people. No one seems to have commented against him. Regmi’s well-wishers have termed him a ‘national hero’ and ‘celebrity’.
An organized group in Kathmandu has hosted a website under the domain of www.deviprasadregmi.info with an appeal to help Regmi, terming him a ‘representative of 30 million Nepalese’. The group has collected more than Rs 14,000 from Regmi’s well-wishers across the world.
Another group in USA also initiated a campaign to release him on bail. Bimal Guragain, a member of Nepal-America Ekta Samaj said they were ready to help Regmi.
“The government that cannot take action against a minister for assaulting a CDO has no moral strength to imprison a common farmer who tried to warn a leader against ruining the nation,” he said.
Nepali Diasporas in Qatar, Belgium, Japan, Britain and other countries also united to support him. Kumar Prasad Regmi, who is coordinating the support campaign from Belgium, told THT Daily that the fund will be used to bail him out and provide him with social security. Kedar Bista and his relatives in Madhubani, Sunsari have announced to donate Rs 28,000 to release him on bail.
Political analyst Prof. Krishna Khanal said the incident indicated the real position of Nepali politicians. “Regmi’s action is punishable by law, but the incident can be taken as an indicator of the existing relationship between leaders and general public,” he added. The incident is a strong lesson for leaders, he said.
Regmi is a poor farmer with a small house and a kathha of land in Bharoul. His son Mahesh said, “We are not worried of his act, but we are affected, as the sole main source of income has been imprisoned.” Regmi’s confinement has added to the woes of his sick mother.
Earlier, Regmi had justified his action, saying Khanal and political leaders like him were to be blamed for promising the moon to people and keeping the country hostage for long.
Maoist-led government in five days, says Prachanda
Hrishita Deo
Kumaripati, Lalitpur
Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal today claimed that the country would get a union government under his party leadership within five days.
“The chances of the Maoist-led union government within five days are high. There is sufficient ground for this,” the Maoist chief told media persons at a conference organized by Revolutionary Journalists’ Union in Hetauda today.
The other two major parties, CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress, are positive towards the Maoist-led government, he claimed.
On a different note, the UCPN-M chairman said the transfer of the PLA combatants from the Maoist party to the Prime Minister-led Special Committee had stunned the world.
“The handover of the Maoist combatants to the SC has turned down the allegations that Maoists are against peace and statute-writing processes. Instead, it has paved the way for taking the peace process to a logical conclusion,” added Dahal.
The Maoist boss also made it clear that the PLA personnel were no longer his party combatants.
“As the single largest party in the Constituent Assembly, UCPN-M has democratic and legal rights to stake claim for the government leadership,” asserted Dahal, hoping that new law could be drafted by May 28 if his party got the chance to be at the controls.
In a response to the media query who would be his party’s prime ministerial candidate if the Maoist got a chance to lead the new government, Prachanda said the party had already finalised the candidate.
On the occasion, he glossed over the internal rift in the party pertaining to the PM candidature and said the latest Central Committee meeting had resolved minor ideological differences that had surfaced lately.
“The ideological rift will not split the party; rather, it will further strengthen it,” he claimed.
On his way to Kathmandu from Shaktikhor, Chitwan, Dahal had stayed in Hetauda last night. He met his party cadres from Makwanpur district during the stay.
“The chances of the Maoist-led union government within five days are high. There is sufficient ground for this,” the Maoist chief told media persons at a conference organized by Revolutionary Journalists’ Union in Hetauda today.
The other two major parties, CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress, are positive towards the Maoist-led government, he claimed.
On a different note, the UCPN-M chairman said the transfer of the PLA combatants from the Maoist party to the Prime Minister-led Special Committee had stunned the world.
“The handover of the Maoist combatants to the SC has turned down the allegations that Maoists are against peace and statute-writing processes. Instead, it has paved the way for taking the peace process to a logical conclusion,” added Dahal.
The Maoist boss also made it clear that the PLA personnel were no longer his party combatants.
“As the single largest party in the Constituent Assembly, UCPN-M has democratic and legal rights to stake claim for the government leadership,” asserted Dahal, hoping that new law could be drafted by May 28 if his party got the chance to be at the controls.
In a response to the media query who would be his party’s prime ministerial candidate if the Maoist got a chance to lead the new government, Prachanda said the party had already finalised the candidate.
On the occasion, he glossed over the internal rift in the party pertaining to the PM candidature and said the latest Central Committee meeting had resolved minor ideological differences that had surfaced lately.
“The ideological rift will not split the party; rather, it will further strengthen it,” he claimed.
On his way to Kathmandu from Shaktikhor, Chitwan, Dahal had stayed in Hetauda last night. He met his party cadres from Makwanpur district during the stay.
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