Pokhara, August 15

The final rites of Nepali Congress Kaski leader Ramji Poudel, who was murdered on Thursday night, was carried out today.

Poudel’s body was found in Gagangaunda in Lekhnath municipality, along the Prithvi Highway.

He was cremated as per Hindu tradition in the evening. Prior to the cremation, his body was kept at the district party office where party leaders had paid their last respects.

Speaking on the occasion, senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba lamented the loss of a ‘devout cadre’ and vowed to bring his murderer and the persons who orchestrated it to book. Deputy Prime Minister Prakashman Singh rued the murder, and conveyed Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s condolence to the bereaved family.

Earlier, NC leaders, cadres and locals had demonstrated at the western Regional Hospital, vowing not to receive the body until the persons involved in the murder were made public. They had sent back the hearse that had reached the hospital to pick up the body, but they later relented and the body was taken to the party office. Poudel’s kin have filed an FIR against five persons.

According to Kaski Police chief Superintendent of Police Hari Bahadur Pal, FIR has been filed against the party’s Lekhnath town president Rajendramani Lamichhane, party-affiliated Indigenous Nationalities Lekhnath coordinator Prakash Gurung, Nepal Tarun Dal Lekhnath-12 executive coordinator Bishwash Gautam, Nepal Tarun Dal Lekhnath-16 coordinator Raju Ranabhat and student leader Rabin KC. Police have taken Ranabhat and Lamichhane into custody.

On Thursday evening, there had been a meeting to resolve the ongoing dispute in the party at the house of NC General Convention representative Buddhiman Gurung in Lameahal. Poudel was murdered after he left Gurung’s house.

Poudel, a supporter of senior leader Deuba, was backing Narayanhari Tiwari, a Deuba camp leader, for town committee presidency against Rajendramani Lamichhane, the incumbent president, who is a Koirala loyalist. The murder is said to be connected with the upcoming election of the presidency of the town committee.