“While I was in their captivity, they said that they had sent a statement but the media did not give it a space. But they have not said anything further in two days after I was released. So I would ask them tonight to do it,” Dr Shrestha said at a function organized at the hospital to welcome him. [break]
The function became a platform for political and civil society leaders to vent suspicion on the genuineness of the party that Dr Shrestha claims had held him hostage for 19 days.
Civil Society Chitwan Vice-president Narayan Singh Kunwar termed the release process ´dramatic´. UML Chitwan President Krishna Khanal commented that both abduction and release appeared to be much like a drama, and added, “The kidnappers neither claimed to have held him nor notified about his release.”
Dr Shrestha, continuously being grilled by media and others about his time in captivity following his release on Saturday morning, had composed himself to slightly open his mouth following persistence by participants of the function to tell his tale.
The function entitled ´Facilitation Program´ saw a large number of participants including doctors, staffers, his relatives and well-wishers. Referring to the doctor´s pale face, Nepali Congress Chitwan district secretary Devendra Gurung said that the doctor was still in a state of trauma and lacked "high spirits" and smile. “This means that the case is not over yet,” he added.
Meanwhile, UCPN (Maoist) Chitwan district president Anil Sharma said that the doctor´s release only unraveled a part of the case and it is now up to the government to identify and nab the criminals. For that, the government, he suggested, should even to seek help from Interpol and the United Nations.
Others speaking at the function underlined the need for another movement to pile pressure on the government to arrest the abductors. Save Bhaktaman Movement Campaign that was launched after his abduction was also declared terminated on the occasion.
UML Chitwan district president Khanal implored Dr Shrestha to fearlessly disclose the inside facts of the incident. “If he tells the truth, we will help search the culprits,” he added.
Though Dr Shrestha said that he was abducted by a party whose name was never heard of before, police have not yet arrested anyone in this connection.
Related story
Dr Bhaktaman Shrestha convicted of corruption
