The outfits issue threats whenever there is fresh intake at Nepalgunj Medical College, Nepalgunj Municipality and various public schools. These organizations and institutions are thereby forced to take in cadres of the outfits.[break]
"I got my job following a phone call from Bhagat Singh," admitted Manoj Sharma of Piprahawa-2, who helps collect ´donation´ for the group. For the past eight months, Sharma worked as supervisor at Nepalgunj Medical College, thanks to the phone call from the chief of Tarai Janatantrik Madhes Mukti Morcha.
According to police, 35-year-old Sharma is found to have been using citizenship cards and photos of college staff and others to get SIM cards that he supplies to the outfit. The SIM cards are used for extortion and issuing threats, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Binod Ghimire.
Sharma was arrested during a special operation of police nine days ago. He has admitted to the police that he is acquainted with Singh. According to the police, Singh is hiding in India, just across the border.
Another man who got a job following Singh´s phone call is Rajendra Singh. Rajendra got a job of fireman at Nepalgunj Municipality, according to police. Rajendra has also helped the underground outfit in collecting ´donation´, police said.
"We found that jobs are being given just based on threats," said DSP Ghimire. He added that those who get jobs collect phone numbers of businessmen in Nepalgunj and give the numbers to Singh.
Meraj Ahmed, district in-charge of the Morcha, who is in the district prison for the murder of two school kids, had confessed to police that he used to exert pressure for transfer of teachers. Ahmed said during court trial that he pressured the District Education Office to transfer Sanjaya Dwivedi, then principal of Rastriya Primary School.
Following a dispute between Dwivedi and Ram Suresh Verma, chairman of the school management committee, Dwivedi´s only son Kapil and Liladhar Bhatta were abducted and murdered.
An officer at the District Education Office said, "Underground groups make phone calls to secure teachers´ relief quotas and regular quotas for their people. They say they will kill us if their people do not get the jobs."
A police officer involved in investigations said those who do not give jobs have to part with a big sum of money.
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