SIRAHA, APRIL 11

A group of around seven unidentified people shot a gold trader to death at Gadhiya Chowk, Lahan Municipality, Siraha, yesterday. The deceased has been identified as Pradip Mijhar(Biswokarma), 39. Biswokarma's wife Amita Dulal, 35, was critically injured in the incident.

Police have nabbed two people for their suspected role in the incident.

The arrested are Ram Krishna Chaudhary, 26, and Surya Sahani, 29, said Sudip Raj Bhandari, chief at the District Police Office, Siraha. Chaudhary was held from the incident site with an iron rod while Sahani was held today.

The body has deep cuts and bruises all over it. Police said Biswokarma was shot to death. The gang of looters had hit Biswokarma's wife with sharp weapons. She is being treated at a health facility.

The deceased's relatives, however, suspected that Biswokarma was killed due to personal animosity. The deceased youth was running a jewellery shop at the house of Kanhaiya Gupta, chair of Ward 23. The gang of assailants had opened fire on Biswokarma while he was with his wife at the apartment attached to the jewellery shop. The body was taken to Rau Memorial Hospital Lahan for post-mortem.

Meanwhile, gold and silver traders, Joint Dalit Struggle Committee and Biswokarma Society staged a protest rally demanding the arrest of the guilty in Lahan today. They demanded fair investigation into the incident and a stern punishment for the guilty.

Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association Central Vice-chair Bharat Agrawal said that all gold and silver shops were closed in Province 2 to protest the incident. Protesters demanded treatment of Biswokarma's wife, assistance for children's education and compensation, in addition to security of gold and silver traders.


A version of this article appears in the print on April 12 2021, of The Himalayan Times.