Victim's family accuses police of shooting Shahi despite knowing he was innocent 
BARDIYA, Jan 6: An investigation carried out by the Department of Archeology has confirmed that the idol confiscated on December 10, by a team of police from Chotki, Deudaha is not of archeological importance. Police had shot Ram Bahadur Shahi, 46, of Machhagadh claiming that he smuggled the ancient idol of Chandannath Temple of Jumla.

According to doctors, the bullet has seriously injured Shahi's knee and they had to put a rod on his knee through a surgery. 

The victim's family has accused the police for shooting at Shahi even though they were well aware that the idol was not the one lost from Chandannath Temple. 

"The idol bought for the welfare of the family not just troubled me but my whole family," said injured Shahi. 

He is very upset that the idol brought for the happiness of the family has instead made him disabled for life time.  "I would have better sold it off when I was offered a better price. But I kept it myself believing that it might solve my financial problems," he added. 

Locals of Machagadh think that it is really a shameful act by the police to shoot an innocent person without being certain about the crime. "Even if he was a smuggler, police didn't have the right to shoot him. It was not an expected behavior from the authority entrusted with the responsibility of guarding and protecting the lives of people," said one of the locals of the VDC.  "Just because they have guns doesn't mean they can shoot anyone. How can they shoot a person on the basis of some unreliable sources?" he questioned. 

"I was really worried thinking my father may have unknowingly bought the ancient idol of Chandannath but the report of the Department of Archeology on Wednesday  made it clear that my father is innocent," said Bibek Shahi, son of  Ram Bahadur Shahi. 

He lamented that his family is going through a major financial crisis as the treatment of his father cost more than Rs 100,000. "I don't know how we will manage to pay for his treatment," he said.  
Instead of admitting its mistake, the police force is adamant on charging Shahi for illegally possessing antiquity.

"As the buying and selling of curio goods is prohibited in the country, Shahi will be punished under this law," said SP of District Police Office, Bharat Bahadur Bohora. 

The District Court has already ordered the police to send Shahi to jail on Wednesday. 

 
• chandannath temple
 
• bardiaya
 
• shot at