RAUTAHAT, SEPTEMBER 3

Nepal Police headquarters has relieved incumbent police Chief Superintendent of Police Rabiraj Khadka of Rautahat of his responsibility.

The recent development comes in the wake of a weakening security situation in the district and the finding that police at Garuda Area Police Office had meted out extreme torture to a man in custody.

While SP Khadka has been recalled to the headquarters in Kathmandu, SP Siddi Bikram Shah has been transferred to take charge of the district.

Recently, a preliminary investigation of the probe panel set up by the home ministry to look into the death of detainee Bijaya Ram had concluded that the youth had died due to torture meted out to him by police.

While Inspector Nabin Singh, who had ordered an investigation into Bijaya’s role in a murder case, has been suspended for six months by a secretary-level meeting of the ministry, Province 2 Police Office have already suspended constables Munnu Kumar Singh and Hiroj Miya Dhuniya.

According to sources at the police headquarters, SP Khadka was replaced after the peace and security situation worsened and illegal activities increased in the district under his command.

Following the revelation of the Garuda incident leading to custodial death, police headquarters recalled DSP Byan Kumar Mahato of Garuda Area Police Office to Province 2 Police Office and initiated an investigation.

DSP Narendra Kunwar has replaced Mahato.

In connection with the murder of Niranjan Ram, 20, of Jigadawa of Garuda Municipality, police had arrested Bijaya Ram on August 15. After being seriously injured due to extreme torture in police custody, Bijaya had died in the course of treatment in Birgunj.

Locals had attributed the death to police torture upon finding bruises all over Bijaya’s body.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 4, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.