'The beating went a bit too far'

BIRATNAGAR, June 14: Police on Monday made public two Youth Force (YF) men, including Manoj Rai arrested on Monday, who were involved in attacking Republica correspondent Khilanath Dhakal with murder intent.



District Police Office (DPO) Morang made public YF Biratnagar Chairman Rohit Koirala and Rai.



Rai, who had been absconding, was arrested near Mahendra Morang Campus on Monday morning.[break]



Koirala admitted in front of journalists present at the DPO that he called Dhakal the night of the attack.“After he came over, we had amiable conversation in the beginning. After it didn´t work, I handed him over to Rai,” he said, adding, “I don´t know what happened later.”



Rai admitted that he kicked and punched Dhakal, apart from hitting him with bamboo sticks.



“When I tried to convince him, he didn´t budge from his stance. I was drunk,” Rai said, adding, “The beating went a bit too far.”



Rai said Dhakal once escaped the assailants´ clutches. Thereafter, the assailants made village youth capture Dhakal again telling them that a thief had escaped. Once captured, Dhakal was beaten again, Rai admitted.



Rai said he fled to India through Kakarbhitta immediately after the incident. He was arrested when he was traveling from Farbisgunj and then Jogbani to his house to get some money.



“After I ran out of money, I was traveling home covering my mouth with a cloth when police identified and arrested me,” he said.



Koirala, however, was arrested immediately after Dhakal was thrashed on June 5.







However, the mastermind behind the attack, YF Morang chairman Parshuram Basnet, is still absconding. Morang police said search for him continues. Rai is former chauffeur of Basnet, while Koirala is Basnet´s confidant.



Bikram Niraula, chairman of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Morang chapter, lodged an attempted murder case against the three immediately after the incident.

The government lawyer recorded Koirala´s statement at Morang District Court on Monday to move ahead with a case of attempted murder.



Dhakal was attacked for writing news stories about an attack by YF men on Abhishek Giri at Morang District Court on June 1 when Giri was being presented at the court. Giri and nine cops were injured during the attack.



Dhakal has said in a statement that he was threatened by Basnet when he reached the CPN-UML party office the day after the attack at the court premises.



Since he himself was attacked that night, Dhakal has said, it is clear that Basnet masterminded the attack. Dhakal has also said that he is waiting for justice.

Related story

Two women arrested for beating their mother-in-law