DHANGADHI: The District Court in Kailali has started recording witnesses' statements for the Tikapur case from Sunday onward.

Eight police personnel and a minor had lost their lives in a clash between protesters and police during the Tharuhat-Tharuwan protests, on August 24, 2015, in Tikapur of Kailali district.

Kailali District Court, after three years, has begun recording statements of witnesses from both plaintiff and defendant sides.

According to court officer at the District Court, Narayan Ojha, a total of 85 witnesses have been presented, out of which 35 witnesses are from plaintiff side while the remaining 50 are from defendant side. He informed, statements of three witnesses from the plaintiff side -- Dipak Neupane, Sharada Kathayat and Junga Bahadur Saud -- have been recorded so far.

The witness statements will be recorded up until September 28. It has been learnt that statements of five to six witnesses per day will be recorded, keeping in mind the convenience of witnesses.

Shrestedaar (court officer) Indra Bahadur Kathayat said, hearing on the case will begin only after the recording of witness statements is complete.

As many as 26 persons including Reshamlal Chaudhary had been remanded to judicial custody in connection to the case. Chaudhary has been kept at Dillibazar prison in Kathmandu, two minors have been kept at a Pokhara-based correction facility while the remaining are in Kailali prison. All of them have been charged with attempt to murder, murder, and robbery.

READ ALSO:

• Tikapur carnage: District Court summons witnesses