Rolpa, December 19:

We want peace, says a Maoist fighter, who was injured in an attack at the unified command in Dhanusha in October 2004.

Ravi, 22, a vice-commander of the Maoists’ platoon, finds it difficult to walk even for an hour.

Ravi got his leg fractured in a ‘commando attack’ launched at the unified command in Dhanusha. According to him, the attack was launched as per the order of the eastern command of the CPN (Maoist). “I got my leg fractured in the attack. I find it difficult to walk,” Ravi said.

Showing his fractured leg, Ravi, a native of Kum Chunwang VDC, said, “I wear a high-heeled shoe in the fractured leg as it is shorter than the other leg.”

“The Patna police arrested me while I was undergoing treatment in India,” he said. “Police followed us when we were heading to a hospital in Patna. I jumped off the vehicle while others were arrested. After crawling through a drain pipe for two hours, I reached a village.”

“I spent six months in the village begging for food.”

“The party located me and treated me for a year,” Ravi said, adding, “The party employed me after I returned to Nepal. I am working in the fifth division of the PLA.” Recalling the attack, Ravi said, “Four of us attacked the unified command at 4 pm. Three ‘enemies’ (army men) died in the attack that lasted for 15 minutes. All of us got injured in the attack.” Commenting on the latest political developments, Ravi said, “We want the restoration of peace in the country”.