JOURNALIST MURDERED IN NEPAL
Reported by Pradeep Kaphle
November 5, 2007-Nepal
The Maoists on Monday admitted that
their cadres killed Bara-district journalist Birendra Sah.
Unveiling the report of the high-level committee it had formed to probe
into the case, the Maoists have also expressed commitment to give all
possible support to the state to initiate legal action against the
assailants.
The report states that Sah was
murdered by Maoist cadres Kundan
Phaujdhar and Ram Iqbal Sahani under the orders of their area in-charge
Lal Babu Chaudhary. Sah
was shot in his temple and chest in an open area inside a jungle in
between Juguwa village of Sapahi VDC and Sukhuwa village of Kakari VDC
in Bara district.
Sah’s body was buried in a
ditch near the
incident site, according to the report based on the statement recorded
by Chaudhary.
Sah was abducted from Pipara
Bazaar of Bara district on October 4.
Ramdev
Das, who was abducted along with Sah, was, however, freed on the
condition that they would kill him if he disclosed Sah’s condition.
On October 28, the Maoists had formed a three-member team led
their
Bhojpura sub-state committee in-charge, Hari Bhakta Kandel, to
investigate into Sah’s abduction.
The November 3 edition of
Prateek daily, a local vernacular published from Birgunj, had reported
that Sah was killed on the very day he was kidnapped, quoting four Maoist cadres involved
in his abduction.
Maoist cadre Kundan
Phaujdar admitted that he had abducted Sah as per the party’s
directive.
Also In an interview given to a local Gadhi Mai FM, he revealed that
Sah was handed over to Chaudhary following the abduction.
Phaujdar said he was taking shelter in Hyderabad in India. He
said that he was not aware of Sah’s where abouts after he was handed
over to Chaudhary.
The Maoists maintain that Phaujdar
and Sahani were expelled from the party the abduction.
A parliamentary panel formed on
October 16 to find Sah’s whereabouts, had held the Maoists responsible
for Sah’s abduction.