KATHMANDU, Oct 23: The District Police Office, Rautahat has decided to summon the then administrative heads in the district including the chief district officer, the district chief of the Armed Police Force and the government attorney as part of investigations into the murder of eight individuals who were injured in a bomb explosion in the district 12 years ago.

Police have been investigating the incident after arresting former minister and lawmaker Mohammad Aftaf Alam, who is accused of masterminding the murders. 

Administrative heads at the time of incident including CDO Durga Bhandari, district chief of APF Ramkrishna Lama and chief of the district attorney office Dhrubamani Gyawali have been brought under the scope of the investigations, said sources. Chief of Nepal Police in the district Laxman Neupane was later killed in Kailali in 2015.

“Administrative officials in the district during the time of the incident should help in the police investigations by sharing their own investigation findings at the time and other details,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police Pradyumna Karki, who is currently head of police in Province 2.

According to the police, eight individuals including Nepali and Indian citizens who were injured in an explosion that occurred while making bombs for Alam, were subsequently thrown into a brick kiln and burnt alive. Alam is facing the charge of throwing the injured into the brick kiln to cover up the bomb explosion. 

Rautahat police has claimed that APF personnel in the district had provided an escort while transporting the injured to the brick kiln. “District chief of APF, Lama, used to be very close to Alam. Some victims have claimed that he helped Alam take the injured to the brick kiln, misusing his authority as district chief of the paramilitary force,” said a source in the Rautahat police. Police on Tuesday confiscated a tractor used for transporting the injured to the brick kiln. 

Former government attorney Gyawali was working at the government attorney office in Parsa. The government attorney office in the district has been questioned over its decision not to file any court case against Alam on the basis of the police investigation.

Victims had moved the Supreme Court after the district attorney office declined to file a charge sheet against Alam, reportedly acting under his influence. Police arrested Alam on October 13 only after the apex court wrote to the police warning them about contempt of court for not arresting Alam.

Rautahat police recorded the statements of two witnesses on Tuesday. They have claimed that two brick kilns were used to burn the injured alive. The Office of the Attorney General plans to send four attorneys to Rautahat to assist the investigations and prepare a charge sheet.

 
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