Nara Bahadur Khadka of Rungha-4 went missing after he was arrested by NA on February 24, 2003. Soldiers had arrested Nara Bahadur while he was in Khara to purchase rice. He was accused of supplying food to the Maoists. [break]
His father Peu Bahadur, who pleaded rights organizations, political parties and the civil society for years to secure his son´s release, was given a sack of rice by Nepal Red Cross Society.
After receiving the sack in Khalanga, he said, “My son is worth just a sack of rice. How should I return home with this sack?”
Nara Bahadur was a daily wage earner. He used to go to India fearing that the Maoists would force him to fight for them. Three months before the arrest, he had returned from Shimla, India after working there.
Peu Bahadur said government agencies and rights organizations were apathetic to his plea. Peu Bahadur reached the temporary army barracks in Khara three days after his son´s arrest. Instead of releasing his son, army officers told him, “He must have gone with the Maoists to eat beef. Why would he come here? Go home if you want to live!”
Peu Bahadur reached the barracks the following day as well. He was told that Nara Bahadur was detained as he had to be questioned.
“They said my son would be released the next day. But they didn´t release him,” Peu Bahadur said.
When Peu Bahadur reached the barracks with his wife again, the couple was told that Nara Bahadur had been sent to Nepalgunj.
Nara Bahadur has been listed among the disappeared by International Committee of the Red Cross and Nepal Red Cross Society. He is among the 14 people disappeared by the army and the Maoists from the district.
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