KATHMANDU: Ganga Maya Adhikari, who earlier last year had gone on a 360-day hunger strike demanding action against the murderers of her son Krishna Prasad, has given a new 10-day ultimatum to the government to address her demands. Since Friday, she has only been taking juice and water.

Speaking to a representative of the Asian Human Rights Commission today, Ganga Maya said, “It has been long since the government filed the case, but the perpetrators are yet to be punished. My husband died fighting for justice. They killed him and I have no option left other than to go on fast-unto-death to continue the battle for justice.”

She has given the government a 10-day ultimatum to arrest the accused that are absconding, and to pronounce a verdict in the case, which is sub-judice at the Chitwan District Court. Following the April 25 Earthquake, she was shifted to National Trauma Centre from Bir Hospital.

According to AHRC, the government has been providing security and paying for all the medical expenses. Ganga Maya has lost contact with her eldest son Nur Prasad Adhikari for a while now.

Ganga Maya and her husband Nanda Prasad Adhikari of Fujel, Gorkha, had staged a fast-unto-death, demanding action against the murderers of their son Krishna Prasad, who was allegedly killed by Maoist cadres at Bakulahar Chowk of Ratnanagar, Chitwan, in June 2004.

The Adhikari couple first began their hunger strike in front of prime minister’s official residence in Baluwatar in January 2013. They launched their second hunger strike the following month and ended it on the 47th day after an agreement with the government, which included action on the First Information Report against some suspects, including Parshuram Poudel. But, they were released later. The Adhikaris resumed their hunger strike on October 24, 2014.

Nanda Prasad died on September 23 last year after 329 days of fast-unto-death at Bir Hospital. Even after losing her husband, Ganga Maya continued her hunger strike for a total of 360 days until the government signed a five-point deal with her in October. She broke her fast, agreeing to a liquid diet. However, she still remains in hospital awaiting justice.

While breaking her fast in October last year, she continued to reject all solid foods. Now, she has rejected everything apart from juice and water, AHRC said.

“Only after the murderers are punished, she says, will she allow the government to perform the last rites of her deceased husband. Her husband’s body remains unclaimed at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj for the past 8 months,” said AHRC.