Nepalgunj, November 2

Inmates of Nepalgunj prison, who had started an agitation putting forth a 10-point demand, including the transfer of the jailer, ended their agitation last evening after the prison administration agreed to fulfill their major demands.

The inmates had started their agitation from Thursday morning by padlocking the prison from inside and shouting slogans against chaukidar Man Bahadur Shahi, naike Bharat Phadera and Jailer Bharatraj Pande, protesting their high-handedness.

According to District Police Office Banke Chief SP Bir Bahadur Oli, the padlock on the door of the prison was opened after the dispute was resolved.

“As we were fed up with the torture and extortion carried out by the naike under the direction of the jailor, we

had no option but to launch agitation,” said a detainee, Bikash KC.

KC explained how Phadera extorted money from them through different means such as for using the landline phone. “Those who refused to pay commission to him were beaten up or tortured,” he added.

To resolve the dispute, talks were held in the presence of Banke CDO Kumar Bahadur Khadka, SP Oli, APF SP Dipak Adhikari, journalists and representatives of various human rights organisations.

Inmates Hari Khatri, Bhagat Singh, Bikash KC and Janak Budha had represented the agitators at the talks.

The agitating jailbirds agreed to open the padlock after CDO Khadka informed them of the transfer of Jailer Pande and removal of Phadera from his position as naike, as per the agitators’ demand.

The prison that has a capacity of 250 inmates including 50 women, houses as many as 772 inmates. Following the agitation of inmates, police have stepped up security in the prison.