Lavaraj Kharel of Fattepur-8 was kidnapped on Tuesday night, less than 24 hours after Kamal Mukeri and Deda Prasad Moraiya were released after paying ransom on Thursday morning. Mukeri and Moraiya, who were kidnapped on Sunday night and released on Tuesday morning, were set free after paying a ransom amount of Rs 100,000 and Rs 80,000 respectively, while Kharel´s family paid Rs 50,000 for his release.
There have been four kidnappings in Fattepur alone in the last four days. The family members of another victim, 60-year-old Jagdamba Pathak, are learnt to have refused to pay the ransom and locals are worried if Pathak is still alive. The kidnappings have come at a time when locals in the area had already been bearing the brunt of extortions.
The kin of 28-year-old Kharel are happy to see him alive though they were forced to cough up cough up the hefty amount for his release. His wife Tika revealed that Kharel was abducted from his home by a group of six-seven armed persons who acted as if they were good acquaintances. “They shook his hands asking ´Sir, how are you?´ and took him out of our grocery store saying they had to talk about something,” Tika recalled the incident. Mukeri and Moraiya are also local businessmen dealing with food grains.
The police claimed that their Indian counterparts didn´t show any interest to arrest the culprits even when the former provided with addresses where the victims were kept. A security officer said that the situation has worsened owing to open Indo-Nepal border and protection offered by Indian security persons to the culprits.
Chief District Officer (CDO) of Banke Birendra Bahadur Baniya said conceded that security on the border is not satisfactory. “We can´t be satisfied as we have not been able to arrest the abductors,” Baniya said.
The spate of abductions and extortions has spread across the district. “The morale of police is very low. We have to pay money as they (criminals) threaten to kill us over the phone,” rued president of Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Damodar Acharya.
The police, on the other hand, argued that they have been doing the best to bring the culprits to book. “Police will provide security to the people by being present wherever problem arises. We have made arrangements for night patrolling in Fattepur to curb kidnappings,” said Banke Police Chief Ram Chandra Dhakal.
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