Bennett condemns inaction on Ram Hari murder

Kathmandu, December 29:

Representative of United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal Richard Bennett today expressed his dissatisfaction with Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam over the government’s inaction to punish the killers of Ramhari Shrestha.

In a meeting with the DPM, Bennett expressed his concern that six months after five persons were charged in relation to the disappearance and killing of Shrestha in Chitwan, only one had been arrested.

Other accused are believed to be in the Shaktikhor Maoist cantonment, Chitwan. As maintained in a statement released by the OHCHR, two letters sent by Chitwan District Police to the Maoist Army’s third Division requesting an interview with Division Commander Kali Bahadur Kham ‘Bibidh’ have not been answered.

The rights watchdog also stated that local Maoist leaders had not been cooperating despite the party’s commitment to take action against those responsible for the felony. Bennett suggested that the probe commission report submitted to the government on July 16 be made public allowing police and prosecutors to make use of the same in their proceedings.