TIKAPUR, May 1: Sunita Rawal, 19, of Tikapur had almost reached her home from Lamki Multiple Campus on her bicycle on Tuesday morning when she was hit by a cargo truck (Na 7 Kha 9233) at 9:30 am.
The truck which was heading toward the west along the East-West Highway initially knocked her down, injuring her seriously. The truck driver Sunil Bhandari then switched to the reverse gear and crushed the injured girl to avoid paying for her medical treatment.
Eyewitnesses said Rawal did not even get a chance to cry for help as the truck reversed over her head. She died on the spot.
After witnessing this brutal act, the irate locals blocked the highway demanding justice for the victim's family.
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They torched several tires on the Lamki section of the highway in Tikapur. The enraged locals started vandalizing public property.
Police intervened after the protest went out of control. Officials from the District Police Office (DPO), Kailali had to fire several rounds of teargas shells and even open blank fire in an attempt to control the protestors.
However, the protestors were further enraged by the action of the police and clashed with the police personnel.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dakshya Kumar Basnet of the DPO, 12 police personnel and a local, Prem Raj Mudhbhadi, were injured in the clash. They are currently undergoing treatment at Lal Ranta Hospital, Lamki.
The entire Lamki area was affected by the intense clash between the locals and the police. Additional security personnel from the Armed Police Force (APF) were called in to bring the protest under control.
Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the situation SP Abhushan Timalsina, chief of DPO, Kailali, himself reached the scene and held talks with the locals and the victim's family.
After he expressed commitment to take strict action against the truck driver, the locals finally stopped their protest.
Father of the victim Tapta Bahadur Rawal claimed that his daughter could have been saved had the driver not reversed the truck.
“My daughter would have been alive had the driver not reversed the truck over her,” he said.
He claimed that the truck driver should face severe punishment. SP Timalsina has assured him of stern action against the driver.
