Accused sent to 7-day judicial custody: Locals enforce Dailekh banda, demand PM quit

DAILEKH, Jan 10: The district court Thursday sent the five accused in the murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa to seven days’ judicial custody to allow police to carry on their investigation into the case.



The Dailekh police produced the Maoist cadres before court amid tight security. Last week, police had arrested Laxmi Ram Gharti Magar of Dwari VDC-1, Jaya Bahadur Shahi of Raniban-1, Nirak Bahadur Gharti of Baluwatar-9 , Bir Bahadur KC of Baluwatar-7 and Harilal Pun of Dwari-3, in connection with Thapa´s murder. [break]



Thapa was abducted on June 26, 2004. He was later found murdered. On August 16, 2004, a Maoist rebel commander had revealed that Thapa was ´executed´ on August 11. Thapa was working as a reporter for Radio Nepal from Dailekh when he was abducted.



Locals enforce Dailekh banda, demand PM´s resignation



Agitating locals including businessmen and civil society members have enforced the district banda to press for unhindered police investigation into Thapa´s murder. Thousands of people have come to the district headquarters to take part in protest rallies against the prime minister´s alleged directive against proceeding with police investigation into the case.



No vehicles are running on the road due to the banda. A large number of security personnel have been deployed in the district headquarters in view of possible clashes between the protesters and local Maoist cadres and supporters, who have been demanding the immediate release of their fellow party workers.



The protesters have vandalized a government vehicle (Ba 9 Cha 837) and a couple of shops for defying the banda. They have assembled at the Devkota Chowk and are chanting slogans, demanding the prime minister´s resignation and stern action against Thapa´s killers.



´PM Bhattarai orders to halt police probe´



Meanwhile, a police source revealed that the Nepal police chief, as per Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai´s directive, ordered the Dailekh police to halt recording the statements of the murder accused originally scheduled for Wednesday.



"There is pressure coming from Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai through the office of the inspector general of police (IGP)  to halt police investigation," the source said. It added that police had initially planned to take the accused to the court at 10 am but were able to do so only after 12 pm due to the IGP´s pressure.



Related:

• Prosecutors Start Recording Statements After Mass Pressure


• Police under pressure to release Thapa´s murderers


• Thousands take to street in protest against PM

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