NHRC probing CPN leader’s killing in Sarlahi

Kathmandu, June 21

The National Human Rights Commission has launched a fact-finding investigation into the death of Sarlahi district in-charge of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal in ‘an encounter with police’.

Nepal Police had said that Kumar Poudel was killed in a shootout that occurred in Lalbandi Municipality of Sarlahi yesterday. Issuing a press statement, the rights body said a team of Province 2 Office of the NHRC had been deployed to the incident site for investigation and monitoring of the circumstantial evidences. “The team will submit its report to the NHRC immediately after completion of the investigation,” it read.

The NHRC has appealed to concerned people and stakeholders to cooperate with the team in the course of investigation. The statement also said that the NHRC was concerned about the incident in which Poudel was killed during an alleged gun battle.

Recently, the rights body had formed a rapid response team to carry out speedy monitoring of the incidents of human rights violation across the country. The team led by the director of Law, Investigation and Monitoring Department of the NHRC will conduct monitoring of human rights violations in the country, including Kathmandu valley, and report promptly to the rights body.

According to NHRC, it is committed to ensuring protection, promotion and effective implementation of human rights. While studying the human rights situation of the country, a few additional challenges have been felt in the protection and promotion of individual’s right to life, dignity, freedom and equality. “We have to move forward respecting values and principles of human rights for sustainable peace and democracy. People expect an environment where they can freely enjoy their fundamental rights,” it stated.

The NHRC also stated that it was concerned about the government’s attempts to curtail freedom of expression and cultural and social rights of citizens, growing state of impunity, illegal detention, torture, re-arrest of released detainees, gun battles, murders, blasts, extortion and excessive use of force on peaceful demonstrations.