Phidim, July 18:

Participants at the funeral procession of a 55-year-old Mitra Lal Koirala at Tharpu-4 of Panchthar today chanted slogans against the Maoists and Young Communist League (YCL), saying they had killed Koirala. Koirala was an active member of the Nepali Congress, who was murdered on Monday night.

“We have no enmity with others except the Maoists,” Narayan Koirala, son of Mitra Lal said. Narayan said, “My father was staying at district headquarters Phidim due to Maoists’ threat to kill him if he did not withdraw a case filed in court against them.” Saying that the entire village would take to the streets against the Maoists if they did not own up the killing,

relatives of the victim urged the district-based human right activists and journalists to get them justice.

However, Maoist district member Prakash denied his party’s involvement in the murder and said they would discuss the matter in the party. NC district president Purna Kumar Sherma demanded the arrest of the guilty and sought action against them. “Koirala was announced the first martyr after the Jana Andolan-II,” a statement issued by Sherma said.