Read in Nepali

08 June 2020

 

Press Statement

INSEC Rukum (West) has completed an onsite mission along with the human rights organizations including Nepal Bar Association and NGO Federation district chapter Rukum (West) from May 26 to 28, 2020 to monitor and document the case of murder of Nawaraj BK and his five friends during their travel to Chaurajahari Municipality (Soti Village) of Rukum (West) from Bheri Municipality – 4 of Jajarkot district. Eighteen youngsters along with Nawaraj BK had visited Soti Village of Rukum West on May 23, 2020 with a plan to bring a girl from that village as bride of Nawaraj BK.

The mission has concluded that the killing was insisted because of the love affair between so called upper caste girl and so called Dalit boy. The locals of Soti Village of Rukum (West) chased the group of 18 youngsters from their village till the bank of Bheri River and attacked them. The attack of the local caused the death of Nawaraj BK and his other five friends.

The mission has monitored the incident spot and conducted meeting and interaction personally with the family member of victims, locals, people injured during the incident, accused persons and the concerned stakeholders for this case from May 26 to 28, 2020. The fact-finding report of the onsite missions has been handed over to the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Law, Justice and Human Rights and National Human Rights Commission on June 8, 2020.

Facts published on the report are mentioned below:

  • The love relationship of the alleged “Upper Caste” girl and alleged “Dalit” boy led to a serious crime of murder.
  • The locals had chased them till the bank of Bheri River and attacked by domestic weapons.
  • Dead bodies of the boys killed in the incident were found in the Bheri River on different dates.
  • The corpses found in the river seemed that did not have swollen stomach, they had not swallowed water and the body was not swollen.
  • There was no clash or defense attack in the incident. None of the locals involved in the incident were injured.
  • The police had reached in the incident spot after 30 minutes and was able to rescue 12 others. Those rescued were taken to the Mission Hospital of Chaurajahari, treated and sent back to their guardians.

INSEC demands to form a high level committee of investigation to identify the truth of the incident and further requests to bring the accused under legal process.

 

 

 

Dr. Indira Shrestha

Chairperson, INSEC