Funeral procession of a man found dead near the huts turns violent

Dhangadhi, August 28:

Freed Kamaiyas living in huts constructed on the land belonging to the Jagadguru Shankaracharya Ayurbigyan Pratisthan at Geta in Kailali and participants of the funeral procession carrying the body of a man killed yesterday clashed today.

The clash erupted after those taking part in the funeral procession set ablaze the huts belonging to freed Kamaiyas for their alleged involvement in Pandey’s mysterious death yesterday.

The police have detained 11 freed Kamaiyas for security reasons.

Meanwhile, the clash led to disruption of transport on the Chisapani-Attariya road section of Mahendra Highway and transport entrepreneurs also staged chakkajam at Attariya Chowk this evening to protest against the blockade.

Bhim Prasad Pandey, who was heading towards Boradandi on his motorcycle to arrange money for the treatment of his wife who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Pilibhit on Sunday evening, was found dead yesterday near the freed Kamaiya camps at Geta.

Pandey’s relatives said he was murdered in the night. They suspected the hand of freed Kamaiyas in the incident and torched the huts belonging to them.

The food grain, clothes and utensils in the camps were burnt to ashes.

The police reached the incident site but could not prevent the incident from happening, said Jayasingh Bista, in-charge, Malakheti police post.

Meanwhile, nine organisations working for the welfare of freed Kamaiyas, including the Mukta Kamaiya Sangharsha Samiti and the Mukta Kamaiya Samaj, warned of dire consequences of the inhumane act of burning freed Kamaiyas’ huts.

“How can anyone justify arson? Is it fair to burn houses if an incident occurs nearby?” the organisations wondered.