Pokhara, February 28:

The Kaski chapter of the Nepal Magar Association (NMA) yesterday renamed the Prithvi Chowk of Pokhara as Lakhan Thapa Chowk.

At a gathering organised to mark the Magar Day, the association said it renamed the chowk to honour Lakhan Thapa Magar, who is considered Nepal’s first martyr.

The association also hoisted its flag at the site and announced that it will erect a half-size statue of Thapa Magar in the place where the statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah was located until before agitators dismantled it 18 months ago. The statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah was installed there nearly 80 years ago.

The gathering also formed a 25-member committee to erect Lakhan’s statue. “The process for the building the statue will be initiated before the CA polls,” NMA Kaski chairman Krishna Bahadur Thapa Magar who is also the coordinator of the committee said.

Rana rulers had hanged Thapa in a tree at Kaule of Bungkot VDC in Gorkha district 131 years ago for protesting the regime, NMA advisor and lawyer Surendra Thapa Magar said. Lakhan was born at Kaule in 173 years ago.

NMA Kaski said the installation of the statue will cost around Rs 700,000.