KATHMANDU, Sept 12: Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has appealed to the government to ensure the security of its officials after the Maoists vandalized the private office of PADT member-secretary Sushil Nahata Friday evening. [break]
The Maoists seemed to have resorted to a new tactic of harassing PADT officials after calling off their agitation against the appointment of two Indian priests at Pashupati temple. Earlier, they had thrashed the two South Indian priests--Raghabendra and Girish Bhatta. They retreated from street protests as the Indian government took the issue seriously and even voiced their objection to the Maoist leadership.
Member-Secretary Nahata, who was aghast at the attack on his private office at Naxal, called media Saturday to express his concern over security for himself and his family. He also expressed concern that his colleagues were vulnerable to mistreatment by the Maoists who, throughout the appointments dispute, have threatened PADT officials with physical harm.
A group of Maoists had vandalized Nahata´s business firm after they could not find him there. "They intruded into the office at 6 p.m. and asked for me, using obscene language. As I had already left the office, they vented their fury over the office set-up", he added. The group broke windowpanes and furniture at the office.
Nahata said the government needed to make necessary arrangements for the safety of PADT officials and that the UCPN (Maoist) would be responsible in case of sabotage against him and his colleagues.
Nahata claimed that the attack was engineered by the Maoists and it was the brainchild of the ´Local Action Committee´ against the priest appointments. PADT officials have not attended their office as it has been padlocked for two weeks by the action committee which has not reopened it despite calling off their street protests.
"I have demanded personal security arrangements but not received any. I sense that the Maoists are not going to let us work until the government intervenes," he told myrepublica.com.
Meanwhile, the government has made little progress in the investigation and prosecution of those who assaulted the two priests. Police have so far arrested only one person, Raju Sapkota, for allegedly leading the attack. Three others allegedly involved --Ramesh Dangol, Sandesh Karki and Prem Pandey-- are still at large.
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