Army offers apology, vows to treat the injured

Nawalparasi, October 24:

Ten villagers were injured after Nepal Army personnel beat them up following an altercation during a local musical programme today in Triveni bazaar on the occasion of Dashain festival.

Villagers alleged that 16-17 inebriated soldiers of the Triveni-based Aridaman battalion attacked youths who had gathered in the bazaar to attend the concert. The dispute arose after the soldiers tried to disrupt the programme.

Santosh Poudel, Sumeshwar Singh and Subhas Upadhyaya were severely hurt in the assault, said other locals. The other seven — Sattal Singh Lama, Sagar Ghimirey, Milan Thakuri, Nitin Kumar Rauniyar, Bechan Singh, Achhuyt Shrestha and Kumar Rokka Chhetri — have sustained minor injuries but most of them have been hurt in the head. They are being treated at the local health post.

After the villagers protested the soldiers’ action, brigade officials, the victims, and programme organisers held a meeting to sort out the dispute. A Nepal Army officer, on condition of anonymity, said the army agreed to give Rs 6,000 as compensation to the programme organisers, medical treatment expenses to the victims and also apologised for the soldiers’ behaviour.

The army has also assured locals of taking action against soldiers Basant Kumar Basnet and Hasta Bahadur Thapa who were caught by the police and later handed over to the army.