While police had nabbed one of the three accused Surya Yadav, aka Surja, on Monday, Jasho Yadav, aka Bikranta, who was arrested on June 24 last year, has already been convicted by the District Court of Siraha for his role in the killing of Bishta. [break]
Bikranta, who is serving a jail term now, had introduced himself as the army commander of Jantantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, a Tarai-based armed outfit, and claimed responsibility of Bishta´s murder.
Bishta, a technical staffer at the District Development Committee of Udayapur, was shot dead on May 11 in 2007 after being kidnapped while he was supervising construction of the road connecting Thadhi with Lahan.
Bishta was shot at when he tried to escape. Bishta´s murder had sparked off a nationwide stir of public servants.
The chief of Sagarmatha Zonal Police Office, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Keshari Raj Ghimire, said that the remaining two accused in Bishta´s murder were arrested during a special operation. According to Ghimire, six persons from Saptari and two from Siraha have been arrested during the operation so far. The objective of the operation is to nab the accused who try to evade arrest even after being convicted by the court.
Ward Police Office of Lahan is preparing to file case against Surja Yadav and Rain at the court accusing them of murder. Yadav, who was arrested on Monday, was earlier charged with possessing illegal arms, too. A case was filed against Surja after one Kamalesh Yadav, who was arrested in possession of three guns and five rounds of bullets, revealed that one of the seized guns belonged to Surja, who was absconding since Bishta´s murder.
According to Chief District Officer of Siraha, Naryan Prasad Bidari, Surja was granted a bail on the charge of illegal possession of weapons. “The bail was granted as there was no strong evidence against him,” Bidari said.
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