RAJBIRAJ, DECEMBER 26

Usury victims staged a demonstration in Saptari district headquarters, Rajbiraj, today, seeking action against the person responsible for their plight.

Usury victims here have been launching a concerted protest by forming a struggle committee. They have demanded that the government investigate the property of usurers and take action against them. Today, they also submitted a memorandum to the chief district officer. Copies of the memorandum were also sent to the prime minister and the home minister, seeking protection from the 'parasites' living off exploiting the poor and vulnerable.

The memorandum undersigned by struggle committee Chairman Mohammad Taiyab Ali noted the plight of people who had to even commit suicide due to inability to pay back the astronomical interest on their loans and the financial hardships caused by the COVID crisis and urged elected local representatives and political parties to address the concerns of usury victims.

The victims have sought the arrest of usurer Ramdev Sah of Kalyanpur, Ward No 7 of Khadak Municipality, who has been at large for long now. 'Police do not heed our call to investigate Sah's property, which is why we had to resort to protest to create pressure,' said the struggle committee secretary Chhedi Paswan. Hundreds of usury victims had filed an FIR with the police eight months ago against Sah and his family. Though police have arrested Sah's two children three months ago, Sah himself is unaccounted for till this day.

Today, while receiving the memorandum, CDO Bhupendra Thapa promised to take initiative for justice to the victims.

A version of this article appears in the print on December 27, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.