DHANGADI, AUGUST 15
A demonstration was held protesting the release of a murder accused on bail by the court, in Achham. The court in Achham released Sajjan Bahadur Shahi, a person accused of murder last year, on a bail of Rs 500,000.
In protest against the bail release, CPN-UML cadres held a demonstration in Binayak bazaar today. "We had to take to the street after the court's decision to release a murder mastermind on bail," said National Youth Association central member and Achham incharge Bharat Shah. Binod Shahi,15, of Panchadewal Binayak Municipality, who had gone missing in the wake of a clash over vote fraud during last year's local elections, was found dead later.
Claiming that Shahi was murdered, an FIR was filed against 13 people, including Panchadewal Biayak Mayor Ambika Chalaune. Though the mayor and two others were not tried by the government attorney's office citing 'lack of incriminating evidence', the other 10 were sued, of whom five were remanded to custody about a month ago.
A dispute had taken place between two groups of youths over allegations of vote fraud on 29 April 29 in Kucchi. Some youths had been injured in the incident. The next day, police reached the village to arrest those involved in the clash, but by that time, most of the youths had fled. Those youths had come in contact two days later, but Bal Bahadur Shahi's 15-year-old so Binod hadn't. His decomposing body was found two days later on May 4, with his throat slit. The victim's family has alleged that Binod was murdered inside a house on April 30 itself and his body was hidden for three days before it was taken out and thrown from a cliff, where the body was later found.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 16, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
