Controversy Erupts After Viral Video Shows Police Restraining Woman During Demolition in Duhabi

Biratnagar. Ramkumari Chaudhary, a resident of Duhabi-10, Sunsari, who appeared in a viral social media video being restrained by police, has alleged that officers pulled her hair and choked her, preventing her from speaking.

Ramkumari and her 19-year-old son, Sudan Kumar Chaudhary, claimed they were subjected to police brutality while their makeshift hut, built on public land, was being demolished. The mother and son expressed their distress, stating that their poverty made them targets of administrative injustice and that they now lack the funds for medical treatment.

Ramkumari flatly denied police claims that she was restrained only to prevent her from throwing stones at the bulldozer. She insisted she did not throw stones but merely requested that a surveyor be brought to measure the land.

Recounting the incident, Ramkumari said, 'I asked them not to demolish it yet and to bring a surveyor to determine if it was private or public land. I asked for fair justice. Instead, they grabbed me, choked me, and four or five people pulled my hair to silence me. They choked me so hard I couldn't make a sound.'

She claimed she was held under a tree for over 10-15 minutes until bystanders began filming the incident. She explained that the hut was built 10-15 days prior due to extreme poverty and the need for shelter for her growing sons. 'Our previous space was cramped and leaking during the rain,' she said. 'It cost me 6,000-7,000 rupees to build.'

The family claims they did not intend to block anyone's path. They received a notice to vacate on the evening of the 30th and the demolition occurred at 8:30 AM on the 2nd. Her son, Sujan, arrived during the demolition and was also restrained by police when he tried to intervene. He noted that his mother remains unwell and they cannot afford medical care.

What happened?

The video of the municipal police's conduct during the demolition on Baisakh 2 has sparked widespread criticism. The footage shows a yellow bulldozer in the background while two female municipal police officers restrain Ramkumari, with one pressing her against a tree and holding her by the throat.

Conflicting Claims

Following public outrage, the Sunsari District Police Office issued a press release on Baisakh 6, claiming the incident was misrepresented. They stated that the woman was restrained to prevent her from being injured by the bulldozer after she allegedly attempted to throw stones. They denied that she was tied to a tree or subjected to inhumane treatment, labeling such reports as 'misleading information.'

Images of abuse: From police strangling a woman to bulldozer terror

Duhabi Police Inspector Shivram Thapa confirmed the incident occurred on the canal bank in Ward 10 but denied the choking allegations, calling them a distortion of the truth. Duhabi Mayor Bed Gachhadar also dismissed the viral video as a 'misleading propaganda' campaign, asserting that the structure was built with the malicious intent of blocking a path to land purchased by a local laborer.