Muslims barred from burying their dead

BAGLUNG, Sept 19: Hindu locals on Saturday barred Muslims from burying the dead body of a woman in Myagdi. They even tried to attack the Muslims, who had reached Arthunge VDC-1 to bury the body of Amina Begum, a shopkeeper in Beni bazaar. Muslims in the district have denounced the attack. [break]



However, local Hindus claim that the body was being buried without informing them.



There have been disputes over the burial of Muslims in the area for the last few years. Earlier the same day, political leaders and locals had agreed to grant three ropanis of land near district hospital in Beni for Muslim cemetery, and Begum´s body was being buried as per the agreement.



“The administration and locals have used force against a religious minority,” said Khaliladin Miya, a local, “Don´t we have the right to perform last rites for our dead relatives.” He termed the incident as an attack against the entire Muslim community.



A police team had reached the site following the incident. Police inspector Sunil Babu Khanal said that a new agreement has been reached to look for another site for the cemetery after the locals objected to the earlier agreement. “We had chosen the place with agreement from the political parties. As the locals objected to it, we have agreed to look for another site,” said Khanal.

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