JHAPA, March 21: Durga Prasad Timsina, originally from Mai Municipality-10 of Ilam, arrived at Kakadvitta, Jhapa after he was freed from a four-decade-long jail life in India. He was recently released from Dum Dum Correctional Home of Kolkata, India.

The 61-year-old had been lodged in various jails including the Dum Dum Correctional Home in India without a trial for 40 years. 

A division bench of justices Thottathil B Nair Radhakrishnan and Anirudra Roy of the Kolkata High Court recently issued an order for Timsina’s release. 

Timsina, who arrived at Kakadvitta at 9:15AM on Sunday along with his close kin and well-wishers via road way, gushed, “I can’t wait to meet my mother!” He received a warm welcome from the representatives of the Bishwa Sewa Bistar, a rescue organization, media persons and relatives.

In a press conference organized in Kadakvitta today, Timsina said that he served a torturous jail term in Indian prisons despite being innocent. 

The long jail term seems to have taken a physical and mental toll on him as he looks too fragile. He speaks less and seems to be lost in thoughts.

According to Prakash Chandra Timsina, the freed prisoner’ brother, the Kolkata High Court issued the order for release of Timsina on the ground of mental health and has asked to apprise the court about his health condition every six months. The final verdict on Timsina’s case, is, however, awaited.

During the press conference, Timsina recalled his parents’ and siblings’ names. His father’s name is Champakhar and mother’s name is Dhanmaya. His brothers are named Kedar and Dharmananda while his only sister’s name is Pabitra. 

His father and second eldest brother Kedar are no more while his mother, youngest brother and sister are eagerly waiting for him at his native home in Ilam.

Durga Prasad’s nickname is Deepak. At the age of 19, he travelled to Manglabare in western part of Ilam district to sell locally-produced mustard. Thereafter, he set out for Darjeeling in India, looking for employment. 

During the 1980s, the Gurkhaland Movement was at its peak in Darjeeling. Having heard nothing from Deepak, his family assumed that he died in the uprising. 

His brother Prakash Chandra shared, “We assumed that he died in the uprising after there was not a word from him and about him. We came to learn about him being alive and doing his times in Indian prisons for the past 40 years through the Bengal Radio Club.”

In 2013, the family had received a letter sent by one Deepak Jaishi who had been claiming that he was Durga Prasad, but the family had a trust issue over the authenticity of the letter and thought that it was sent by someone else to make the family puzzle. He identified himself as Deepak Jaishi in the correction home. 

Jaishi's colleague Radheshyam Das from Medanipur of West Bengal was the person who first informed the public about the status and real identity of Durga Prasad. The family is thankful to Das and the Radio Club for their role in taking him out of jail. 

Durga Prasad had been accused of being involved in the murder of the spouse of a house owner in Darjeeling where he had been taking shelter. It is learnt that a false case was registered against him at a local police station but the 'victim family' did not follow up with the case even once.  No trial was conducted and he was finally taken to the Dum Dum correction center.  

The family was informed about his condition with the help of Vishwa Sewa Vistar, an organisation that helps in the search of missing people. The organisation’s representative Indra Basnet had contacted the Bengal Radio Club before talking to Prakash Chandra. 

Durga Prasad's father died when he was seven years old and mother Dhanamaya lost one of her two hands in an accident in the past.  

He seemed tired upon his arrival in Kakarvita due to his night travel in a bus and only smiled and spoke little with the media. He was dressed in a white 'kamij' and gray trousers. As his brother said, they would reach home today itself.

 
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