A 13-year-old boy affiliated to the gang, who identified himself as Biran Limbu, has surrendered to the Taplejung police on Saturday. Durga Limbu, another member of the gang apprehended by the police recently, has been found to be under the age of sixteen from health tests.
“I have received the health report of Durga from BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences of Dharan and he has been proven to be below 16 years of age,” informed DSP Shanti Raj Koirala, chief of District Police Office (DPO), Taplejung. According to him, his relatives had appealed to the district court for his custody claiming him to be a minor. Hence, his health tests were taken.
The country's law has provision to hand over children below the legal age to parental custody or child improvement center.
According to the police, Biren, a local of Santhakra VDC, escaped from the armed gang and surrendered himself to the police. The boy claimed that he had gone to pick cardamom in Linkhim VDC and was kidnapped by the gang and was then forced into criminal activities. The boy said he escaped on the 24th day of his kidnap.
The gang is reportedly said to be misusing the name of a regional ethnic political party, Limbhuwan Party, to carry out their criminal activities. The group led by Deu Kumang Labung of Ekhabu VDC, aka Harahang has been declared a criminal outfit by the police. The police said more than a dozen fugitives in the district are affiliated with the Harahang gang. Police have enlisted them in the “most wanted” list and have intensified their search operation.
However, Harahang has condemned the tag of criminal group claiming that their motive is political. He had earlier contacted a Republica reporter and claimed that he had put forth his demand to the government in 2004 and hence the administration has taken him wrongly.
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