Bardiya victims' families yet to receive crematory expense

SURKHET, April 11: Families of the victims shot dead by Nepal Army (NA) men inside the Bardiya National Park (BNP) where they went inside barks of the Kaulo trees on March 10, have yet to get remaining amount of crematory expense.



It was agreed to provide the victims’ families with Rs.25,000 each as crematory expense during the meeting held among the families of the deceased, civil society members, political parties, human rights activists, BNP chief Tika Ram Adhikari and security personnel on March 17.[break]



As per the agreement, Rs. 20,000 was provided in the same day while the remaining amount has not been distributed though it was said to be provided on April 7, said Tul Bahadur BK, husband of Devisara BK, one of the shootout victims.



When asked, BNP’s acting warden Ramesh Thapa said the distribution of remaining amount was delayed, as it has not been sanctioned yet.



Amrita BK (28) and Chandra Kala BK (12) including Devisara of Hariharpur- 2 were killed in the shooting.



The reports prepared by the different human rights organizations including the National Human Rights Commission, Women, Children and Social Committee of the Legislature Parliament, INSEC and Advocacy Forum have found the NA personnel guilty in the incident while the NA is claiming that the deceased were ‘poachers’ and killed in ‘self-defense’.

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