Kathmandu, July 3

The Asian Human Rights Commission today said the health condition of Ganga Maya Adhikari of Gorkha, who began her third fast-on-to-death strike on May 29, was severely deteriorating. She has been kept in the ICU of Bir Hospital.

She started her hunger strike demanding implementation of the Supreme Court’s order and impartial investigation into the murder f her son Krishna Prasad Adhikari. Krishna Prasad’s father perished in the pursuit of justice, and his mother is now on her deathbed. “She must be saved and given justice,” AHRC said in a press statement today.

“Ganga Maya has a simple demand — the arrest of Chhabilal Poudel, the main accused in the murder of her son Krishna Adhikari, in accordance with the Supreme Court order of December 21, 2015, and investigation into the case. It is tragic that the government is not serious enough to listen to her pleas for justice and act immediately to save her life,” it added.

Ganga Maya along with her husband Nanda Prasad Adhikari, had started her first fast-unto-death strike in January 2013. The hunger strike ended in 47 days after the government assured them of justice in their son’s murder case. However, as the accused was released on bail immediately after the arrest, the Adhikari couple resumed their strike, which finally ended Nanda’s life on his 333rd day of his fast-unto-death in September 2014. His body has been kept in Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital.

Krishna Prasad, who was then 18 years old, was killed on June 6, 2004, by Maoists cadres in Chitwan. “If Ganga Maya dies in the custody of the state, the government will be liable. Political parties must also take responsibility, as they have colluded to protect perpetrators of violations. and promote impunity in the country. No political party in Nepal has taken up this case seriously,” it said.