Police Search Near Minister's Residence Sparks Controversy

Biratnagar. The incident where a police team reached the government residence of Indra Mani Parajuli, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Law of Koshi Province, last night has created a stir. The minister's secretariat has expressed objection, calling it a raid, while the police and local administration stated that the police went in search of a fugitive accused. Chief District Officer Yuvraj Khatiwada said that the police were deployed based on information that a fugitive accused, who is a suspect involved in a case at an industry, had taken shelter in that area, not that a raid was specifically targeted at the minister's residence. He said, 'The police went based on information that a fugitive accused, a suspect person involved in a case at an industry, had taken shelter there. We were unaware it was the minister's quarter, but upon understanding that other teams were also staying there, the police searched. However, there was a lapse in communication and professionalism, for which we have said 'sorry'. The police took immediate action based on the information that a suspect person was hiding there, rather than it being the minister's quarter. But there was a lack of coordination in this.' According to the minister's chief personal secretary, Kedar Dahal, the minister was outside the district, in Dhankuta, for a disaster-related program when the incident occurred. The secretariat only came to know about the incident when local residents called to inform them late at night. Dahal said, 'We were in Dhankuta. Around 10 PM, local residents called and asked, 'The police are raiding your house, what is it?'. When we called the SP and inquired, there were 6 people in plain clothes and about 5-7 police officers. When the locals went and inquired, the police said they had received information that one of their fugitive criminals was staying there.' Dahal claims that the police acted on wrong information. He added, 'Later, when I called the SP, he said that if the information was wrong, the police went there.' Meanwhile, SP Kavit Katuwal, chief of the Morang District Police Office, claimed that the news of a raid on the minister's residence was not true. According to him, the police had gone to that area in search of a fugitive accused in a serious crime. Katuwal said, 'The police team went based on information that a person named Bimal Bhattarai, a fugitive accused in an attempted murder case, was hiding in the area near Pushpalal Chowk. The team only reached near the minister's house during the search; they did not raid or search the minister's house. This matter has been blown out of proportion.' The person injured in the assault is still in the ICU. He clarified that Minister Parajuli is an incumbent minister and there is no enmity or prejudice against him. 'The minister seems to be renting there. The police went to that area to search for the criminal. No action was taken targeting the minister's residence,' he said.