Tikapur incident-accused get hefty compensation

Resham Chaudhari receives Rs 17.4 million

DHANGADI, June 16: The government on Friday provided hefty compensations to 'victims' of the infamous Tikapur incident of 24 August, 2015 in which eight police personnel and a toddler were killed mercilessly.

Resham Chaudhari, who is one of the main accused in the incident and has been at large since, has received Rs 17.4 million as compensation for property destroyed by an enraged mob the day after the incident.

Similarly, lawmaker Janak Chaudhary has been provided Rs 5.2 million as compensation.

Even though a sum of Rs 1 million is generally provided as compensation in such cases of property loss, the cabinet took a 'special decision' in this case and handed over the huge amounts, said Govinda Adhikari, CDO of Kailali.

Out of the 46 accused in the Tikapur killings, 24 are currently in detention while the remaining 22 including Resham Chaudhary are still at large.

The day after the killings, agitators had randomly started fires targetting properties belonging to individuals considered complicit in the incident. Those suffering the property losses had then claimed compensation, CDO Adhikari reported. He added that Resham Chaudhari's father Lalbir came to receive the compensation check. Chaudhari's Fulbari FM radio station and his Fulbari Resort were vandalized by members of the public. A case has been filed in the district court against Resham Chuadhari for attempted murder in the death of the nine, including an SSP.

Pradeep Chaudhari, whose hardware shop was vandalized, was likewise provided Rs 13.9 million. Another accused in the incident, Shiva Narayan Chaudhari, got Rs 15 million.

According to CDO Adhikari, 40 out of the 88 victims of the fire incidents have already been provided relief amounts. They were called to the Area Administration Office at Tikapur and given the checks.

“Twenty-one months after the incident, we have been able to provide relief to the victims. This has been possible due to everyone's support,” Adhikari said. “The relief amounts range from Rs 7,200 to 17.4 million,” he added.

A total relief amount of Rs 107.3 million has been released by the government. SSP Laxman Neupanne, then Seti Zone police chief, eight other police personal and a toddler were brutally slain in the Tikapur incident. Security personals were attacked with sharp weapons and the toddler was shot dead. Families of the deceased were provided Rs 1 million each as compensation.

Starting on the second day of the incident, the government imposed a curfew in the sensitive areas. Tharuhat agitators protested this and took to the streets. Demanding a separate Tharuhat province they started fires and vandalized property. Amid the chaos, it was not clear who exactly destroyed all the properties.

“However, the victims are now happy that they have received relief amounts for the property loss,” said CDO Adhikari.