Itahari, April 14:

Kith and kin of the three youths of Sunsari district’s Mahendranagar who were arrested by security forces four years ago, are still in the dark about their whereabouts.

Their families have searched for them in every possible place, in vain. The nightmare of the three families began on May 28, 2002, when security forces arrested Uttam Limbu, Hari Magar and Harkha Majhi of Mahendranagar Village Development Committee Ward No 4 on suspicion of being Maoists.

Uttam’s 57-year-old father Machindra Limbu has been searching for his only son since then.

“We haven’t got know his whereabouts despite all efforts,” he said. Limbu approached high level security authorities, journalists and human right activists but to no end.

However, Limbu got only one answer from the government: “We haven’t arrested your son.”

Uttam’s 54-year-old mother Dhan Maya Limbu broke down, saying, “I miss my boy every single moment, she said.

“What wrong did my son do, and if they have killed him let them say so...why are they keeping us in such agony?” The condition of 66-year-old Dal Bahadur Magar and 60-year-old Padam Kumari Magar, the parents of 34-year-old son Hari Magar is equally poignant.

“Of my five sons, three died in different accidents and the security forces took Hari,” Dal Bahadur said. “How are we supposed to go on like this?”

Hari’s wife Hari Maya Magar was pregnant when Hari was picked up. Hari’s younger child doesn’t know the meaning of a father while the older son is always asking his mother about his father.

Hari Maya has searched high and low for her husband everywhere, including army barracks and district and regional security agencies bases.

Hari Maya is supporting the Magar family by working in other people’s fields. Harkha Majhi’s mother too is waiting and still anticipating the return of her son who was arrested along with Limbu and Magar.