KATHMANDU: Making public its probe report on Bardiya killing, the National Human Rights Commission today accused the Nepal Army personnel of misusing the power entrusted in them by the state.

The constitutional rights body also recommended the government to prosecute the army personnel involved in killing innocent women Devisara BK and Amrita BK and a girl Chandrakala BK on March 10. The army personnel were deployed for the security of the National Park in Bardiya.

NHRC added that the NA’s allegation that victims were poachers was false and fabricated. The women were searching for a plant, kaulo, for their livelihood.

A total 19 army personnel deployed from Thakurdwara under the command of Lt Subodh Kunwar and four security personnel deployed from the national park were patrolling the national park and were involved in the killing.

The rights watch dog also recommended the government to prosecute the army personnel in a civil court on murder charge, to provide Rs 3 lakhs to the families of each of the victims, provide free education to their children, to run programmes to boost their economic condition and to provide human rights training to the army personnel deployed in the national parks.

“Instead of nabbing them, the deployed army personnel fired on the victims misusing their power,” Kedar Nath Upadhayaya, Chairman, NHRC, said while releasing the probe report.

The rights watch dog body added that before the police reached the crime scene the army personnel collected the bodies and destroyed evidence, proving their ill intention.

“The bullet marks show that victims had their backs towards the army personnel. It shows that the victims didn’t pose a threat,” Upadhayaya added.

Durga Bahadur BK, Baldev Giri, Bhumisara Giri and Bhoopraj Giri fled but the deceased Devisara BK’s husband and Chandra Kala BK’s father Krishna Bahadur were arrested from the spot.

The rights body, however, stated that its probe could not establish whether the victims were raped before they were killed.

The NHRC also added that the victims were poor and had only five katthas of land. The produce from the land was not enough to sustain them throughout the year and they had to collect the bark of kaulo, a kind of tree, for their livelihood.

NHRC said the security personnel did not follow the procedure as per National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1971, and infringed upon the right to life guaranteed by Article 12 of the Interim Constitution of Nepal and international laws.