Her Husband Padam Bahadur also died in 2006 while searching for the missing son, after which the responsibility fell solely on Sukamaya´s shoulders. [break]
Two months before her death, Sukamaya had fallen ill owing largely to her relentless travels in search of her son. "She murmured her son´s name before dying," said Sukamaya´s daughter-in-law Kamala. During her last days, she was worried that even if her son returned home, he would not be able to meet his parents.
Ramesh, who worked as a painter in Nijgadh, was 17 when he was taken by the Maoists for painting the party´s slogans. "Whenever we ask the Maoists his whereabouts, they say the army took him," Kamala said.
"The army, on the other hand, expresses ignorance about him," Sukamaya wandered around towns and cities carrying a picture of her son. But she eventually misplaced that picture, and consoled herself looking at a painting done by her son on the entrance of her residence. Sukamaya often complained of non-cooperation from the state despite taking her plea to many places.
In August last year, she had told Republica, "I want to know his whereabouts before I died. Death is easier to bear than disappearance." Sukamaya lost her elder son four years ago after he was crushed to death by a wild elephant.
A list prepared by ICRC of those who disappeared has five people from Bara. However, Ramesh´s name is not mentioned in the list. Prem Baral, member of Bhojpura State Committee of the UCPN (Maoist) said he saw Ramesh Thapa Magar for the last time on October 14, 2004 at a Maoist training function organized at Kamidanda of Kavre district. "Both of us were participating from Bara," Baral said.
"After that, he was deputed to Kathmandu, while I was sent to Ramechhap." Baral claimed he had heard that Ramesh was nabbed by the army just days after he reached Kathmandu. "After being arrested, he was probably taken to Bhairabnath battalion," he said.
Related story
A mother searching for her son since 12 years
