Lamjung, September 15:

A youth, who had been in Maoist captivity since September 2, died on September 11 while fleeing, the Lamjung unit of CPN-Maoists disclosed at a press meet in Besisahar today.

Seventeen-year-old Kumar Pariyar of Bhachowk village development committee, Makaikhola, in Kaski district was killed when he fell from the Kerabari cliff of Shreebhanjyang VDC while trying to flee, Maoist District Peoples’ Government Chief Buddhiram Tamu said. Pariyar was held on September 2 on the charge of stealing weapons from the Maoists’ Gaunda military camp a few months ago.

Tamu alleged that Pariyar had stolen a .303 rifle, 34 rounds of ammunition and a grenade from the Maoist military camp and hidden them on Kerabari cliff. He claimed that Pariyar jumped off the cliff when the Maoists went there to search for the weapons after he admitted to stealing the weapons and hiding them on the cliff. However, Pariyar’s neighbour Krishna Raj Poudel told our Pokhara correspondent that Pariyar was tortured to death by the Maoists. Locals of Kerabari, who came to the district headquarters, also claimed that Pariyar died due to Maoist torture.

On September 8, 26-year-old Santa Bahadur BK of Ishaneshwor VDC-1 had died in Maoist captivity allegedly due to severe torture. A team of human rights activists and journalists will leave for the spot tomorrow to ascertain the Maoists’ claim of Pariyar having fallen to his death.