Central chairman of Tarai Janatantrik Party-Madhes Mukesh Chaudhary aka Arjun Singh, who was the first to claim responsibility for Singhaniya´s killing, called a local journalist attending a meeting of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Dhanusha chapter from an Indian phone number and threatened to kill Yadav and businessman Jeev Nath Chaudhary within a week to substantiate his involvement in Singhaniya´s killing. [break]
While claiming responsibility, Chaudhary, who was an active cadre of the Madheshi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) before defecting to the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (Jwala Singh), accused Singhaniya of being a feudal exploiter.
However, Tarai Janatantrik Party-Madhes is not the only group to own up to the killing. Rajan Mukti, the chairman of Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, has also owned up to the murder before several media persons in the district, Editor Yadav informed. The group had been in talks with the erstwhile Maoist government.
Singhaniya murder probe hampered by family´s ire
Meanwhile, police have started a three-pronged investigation into Singhaniya´s murder.
Police are trying to substantiate claims for the murder by two different underground outfits and are also linking the killing with the murder last year of journalist Uma Singh, who used to work for Singhaniya´s Radio Today. They are exploring possibilities of the murder being due to the entrepreneurial success of Singhaniya, who also runs Care Medical Nursing Home.
Dhanusha police chief Shyam Khadka said police have yet to get close to the actual motive for the murder as Singhaniya´s family has turned hostile toward them and refused to talk. "We are continuing with arrests of suspects and raiding the probable hideouts of the killers," Superintendent of Police (SP) Khadka said.
He said some important facts about the murder have been unearthed but refused to divulge anything, saying that may hamper investigations. "Family and business partners have refused to speak to us because of their ire against us and we have much to explore still," Khadka added.
A three-member investigation committee formed by police headquarters under Special Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bijaya Bhatta is arriving here Wednesday while police in Dhanusha have formed another committee under Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rup Kumar Neupane, who returned from Kathmandu Tuesday.
The 50-year-old was gunned down at Shiva Chowk at around 6 p.m. while he was returning home after attending religious rituals organized at (his wife´s) brother-in-law Nawal Murarka´s house on the occasion of Holi.
"The assailants shot him pretending to put Holi colors on him and the nature of the murder points to the involvement of professionals," a police officer privy to the investigations disclosed. "The plot seems to have been hatched a long way back," he added.
Singhaniya´s only son Rahul arrived Tuesday afternoon from New Delhi, where he was studying, and lit the funeral pyre later in the day. Thousands of people were present during the cremation carried out as per Marwari tradition.
The Singhaniya family has lost its guardian even while it prepares for the wedding of daughter Soni. "We have lost everything. Now who will bid farewell to Soni," Arun´s devastated father Badri Prasad told myrepublica.com.
Six different Radio stations in Janakpur have been airing solemn music to mourn the demise of Singhaniya. FM stations in Mahottari and Dhanusha districts are also airing solemn music for around two hours in protest of the murder.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Janakpur chapter has shut down the market places to protest the murder.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Dhanusa decided to organize protests until the assailants are brought to book, said its chairman Umesh Sah.
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