Dhangadi, August 27

As the Nepali Army investigates the disappearance of weapons from its far-west division headquarters a few weeks back, the kin of security personnel serving there have been terrified.

The NA has started raiding the houses of security personnel.

Sources said one SMG with two loaded magazines and 288 bullets have gone missing from the headquarters since August 5.

After the incident, army personnel of Garundal battalion, Aerial Security Battery and Kotkhana of the headquarters have been kept under close scrutiny. They have not been allowed to meet their family members.

“We’re are worried as he has been out of contact for three weeks and armed personnel come at night and scare us,” said Uttama Kathayat, wife of Corporal Ganesh Bahadur Kathyat deployed at the headquarters.

A joint investigation team comprising Nepal Police and army personnel raided her home at Kumarikot in Dipayal Silgadi Municipality on Thursday night.

“I’ve heard that he has been detained. There are also rumours that they’re subjected to physical torture. Now, armed personnel have also started coming to my house,” she said.

Uttama said she was not allowed to contact her kin during the raid. “Eighteen personnel barged into the house and started scouring it. I wanted to call my kin but they wouldn’t let me. I was told to stay silent. They searched everywhere  and made me sign a paper before leaving.”

The next morning, Uttama and her kin went to the army headquarters, but were rebuffed.

The families of personnel stationed at the headquarters said not only are they not allowed to meet their kin, but they are also threatened with dismissal of their serving kin if they don’t keep mum.

On August 18, NA corporal Dipak Bahadur Khadka died after being shot in detention over the disappearance of weapons.

While security agencies call it a suicide, Khadka’s kin doubt it, saying there were bruises on his body.

Army blames ‘some media’

KATHMANDU: Nepali Army Spokesperson Brigadier General Tara Bahadur Karki told The Himalayan Times  that a board of inquiry was formed to investigate the missing weapon and find out if there was any link between the missing rifles and a ‘suicide ‘case. He refuted the allegation of misbehaviour, torture or  arbitrary detention of personnel of the NA’s far-western Division. “An investigation is under way in accordance with the law and due criteria of the investigation,” Karki said. He, however, conceded that a few suspected personnel had been kept in custody and access to their  families was restricted due to the norms of investigation. Alleging that some media had misinformed about the incident, he said this could affect the procedure of reaching a conclusion on the issue.