Situation Update from THRD Alliance

10 September 2015

THRD Alliance monitored the human rights situation in Biratnagar and Mahottari on 9 September. It found that the police once again used excessive force against protesters, resulting in three deaths and several life-threatening injuries. The monitoring team also found cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of villagers, including women whose male relatives were suspected of being among the protesters. Road Shesh Chowk, Jatuwa Corner, Mahavir Chowk, Bhattimod and Budhnagar areas of Biratnagar remain tense.
On 9 September, Ram BibekYadav,Rohan Chaudhary of Jaleshwar-7 and Musba Kapad of Bakhari VDC, died on the spot at Mahendra Chowk,Jaleshwar, Mahottari district when police fired shots at a group of protestors. Later, three more protestors were seriously injured at Mahendra Chowk, Jaleshwar: Birendra Bichha, local resident of Pigauna VDC, sustained a bullet injury in his head; Shankar Paswan, of Ekdara VDC received a bullet in the left side of his waist and Shibendra Mahato, local resident of Pigauna VDC sustained a bullet injury in the right side of his waist. They were air lifted to Kathmandu for further treatment.Bichha has been admitted in Norvic Hospital where doctors are keeping him on aventilator. Paswan and Mahato were admitted to Bir Hospital.
Five more protestorsfrom Mahottari with bullet injuries were admitted at Janakpur Zonal Hospital: Santosh Sah of Jaleshwar; Lalendra Mandal of Kolhuwa; Mukesh Paswan of Jaleshwar; Rambabu Sah of Bahera and Surya Narayan Yadav of Madai.Around six thousand protestors participated from different parties belonging to the United Democratic Madhesi Front. Among the protestors, 40-50 had pelted stones on the Mahottari Police Post around 2:30 pm. After that, at a sudden, a van full of police came towards the protestors lobbing tear gas canisters. Around 40 rounds of tear gas were lobbed. At the meantime, police also opened live bullets on the scattered mass, according to a HRD associated with THRDA who was on the spot.
In Biratnagar, Morang district, almost 15 protestors of the Federal Socialist Forum and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Loktantrik officehad gathered at Road Shesh Chowk in Biratnagar. Police attacked them when they were sitting in their party offices. They also were seen misbehaving with women nearby the Sesh Chowk road. The women were seen bleeding from their hands when the bangles they were wearing broke due to use of force by the police.
Central member of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Ram Bilas Yadav sustained head injuries when police beat him with their rifle butt. He required five stitches after the incident. Yadav also sustained a fracture of one of his left fingers. He is undergoing treatment at Neuro Hospital at Biratnagar.
At Ward 22 of Biratnagar (Matiharwa) police entered homes of ordinary citizens and misbehaved withthem. Feroz Alam sustained bullet injuries when police fired shots at him when he was sitting in his own home. He is currently undergoing treatment in India. A THRD Alliance team saw police entering citizens' homes at Memun Tole and beating them in their own homes.
People feared that the police would shoot at them if they came out of their home and were scared of visiting their relatives at hospital. Muslim women told THRD Alliance that police threatened them saying that they would have to “pay a price” if their male family members would participate in the ongoing protest against the draft constitution.
Women at Farani, Budhnagar VDC said that the police arrested male villagers after a group of protestors vandalized a nearby police post. The whereabouts of the arrested villagers were unknown, claimed the local women. Village women said the police severely beat the local people. A team of Police deployed under the In-charge of Budhnagar Police Post arrested Bhakta Pradhan, Bhola Mahato, Nandu Das Tatma, Rakesh Kewat and Bishnu Kewat. Reportedly, these protestors were suspected of trying to kill some police officers but the police were not providing further details about this to local HRDs.Villagers also said the police threatened that they would “take revenge” at night.
Ganesh Yadav, 73, who was working as a watchman at Star Bank at Biratnagarwas beaten by the police with a rifle butt. He sustained injuries on his hand, head and leg. A 65-year-old pushcart operator was injured by the police when he was doing his duty. Both these old men are undergoing treatment at Koshi Hospital.