Court Orders 10 Detained in Bajura Border Dispute Case

Dhangadhi. Regarding the incident in Lampata, Himāli Rural Municipality-3, Bajura, the District Court Bajura has ordered 10 out of 21 defendants arrested to be sent to jail for pre-trial detention.

Following a hearing on Monday, the court ordered 10 individuals to be held in custody until the investigation and final resolution of the case, in accordance with Section 67 of the Criminal Offenses Procedure Code, 2074. According to court sources, eight individuals were ordered to be released on bail of two hundred thousand rupees each, and three were ordered to be released on simple bail. The accused involved in the incident are locals from Humla. Police stated that one person is still absconding.

Those sent to jail for pre-trial detention include Devraj Rawal, Chandrabahadur Rawal, Kishor Rawal, Naresh Rawal, Kar Rawal, Shankar Rawal, Ramdatt Rawal, Kailash Chhatyal, Buddhi Rawal, and Jaybahadur Rawal.

Similarly, the court ordered Manbahadur Jethara, Sher Rawal, Bir Rawal, Sundar Jethara, Lama Rawal, Gagan Rawal, Kaljanga Jethara, and Gyanendra Chhatyal to be released on bail of two hundred thousand rupees each, considering their financial status and legal provisions.

Likewise, Birkhabahadur Rawal, Parelal Rawal, and Shanta Rawal were released on simple bail. According to Nareshbahadur Shahi, Police Inspector and Information Officer at the District Police Office Bajura, one person involved in the incident is still absconding, and the whereabouts of another are unknown.

The police had registered a case against 21 individuals involved in the incident for the offense of unlawful confinement and proceeded with the investigation. According to the charges, on the 3rd of Jestha, a group from Humla arrived at Lampata and assaulted, abused, and confined local representatives, employees, and residents.

Bajura claims the area from Lampata to Ranisain as its own, while Humla also claims it. When Bajura initiated the construction of a temporary police post in Lampata, locals from Humla protested. The Sudurpaschim Provincial Government had allocated a budget of forty hundred thousand rupees for the construction of that post. Locals from Humla, claiming that Bajura was unilaterally trying to build a police post on their land, went there on the 3rd of Jestha to protest. According to the police, during the protest, attempts were made to halt the construction work, and an attack occurred on the locals.

A dispute occurred again on the 5th of Jestha. In that incident, Ward Member of Himāli Rural Municipality-3 Pema Gora Gurung, his wife Laxmi Gurung, Minu Kunwar, Narbahadur Gurung, Police Assistant Head Constable Mahesh Dhami, and Chief Administrative Officer of Himāli Rural Municipality Kulbahadur Thapa were injured.

Pema Gora Gurung, Laxmi Gurung, Minu Kunwar, and Narbahadur Gurung, who were seriously injured, were taken to Kathmandu by helicopter for treatment. They have returned home after treatment.

Following the Lampata incident, the government has tightened security in the area. Currently, 21 armed police personnel led by Armed Police Inspector Janak Poudel and seven Nepal Police personnel led by Police Assistant Inspector Mithubabahadur Bohara have been deployed there.

To ascertain the facts of the incident, the Nepal Police Headquarters had formed a four-member investigation committee led by Police Senior Superintendent (SSP) Bimalraj Kandel. The committee has completed its study after visiting the scene, but the report has not yet been made public.

Similarly, the government had also formed another high-level committee under the convenorship of Sushil Dangol, Deputy Director General of the Survey Department, to conduct a technical study of the border dispute between Bajura and Humla. This committee, which included representatives from various ministries and both provincial governments, has completed its field study but has not yet published its report.