NHRC makes field visit to Kailali Prison

Sudurpaschim, Aug 9: A team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) made a field visit to the Kailali Prison on Saturday to enquire about the clash between inmates in prison.

A three-member team under the Chief of the NHRC Sudurpaschim Province Office, Prakash Dutta Bhatta, visited the prison.

“We are taking stock of the situation. We will submit a report to the NHRC Central Office about the reason behind the incident after our study,” Bhatta shared.

On the occasion, Bhatta said that the local administration was suggested for further management of the prison not to let the situation worsen further. 

Likewise, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kailali Raj Kumar Singh shared that the situation is under the control of police now and everything is managed for this. 

He shared that sufficient force was deployed in the jail premises to maintain a normal situation.Meanwhile, the District Administration Office, Kailali, has formed a probe committee under the leadership of the Assistant Chief District Officer, Kiran Joshi, giving the committee a term of 10 days.

Bharat Chaudhary from Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-4, who was injured in the clash between prisoners in the jail on Friday night, passed away on Saturday while receiving treatment while 44 prisoners were injured in the incident. The clash erupted between inmates residing in Block ‘A’ and Block ‘B’ of the jail. Currently, there are altogether 680 inmates in Kailali Prison despite its capacity to house just 100.

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Normalcy returning at Kailali prison

Kailali, Aug 9:  Normalcy is returning to the tensed Kailali Prison. A large number of police personnel have been deployed to normalize the situation arising from a clash between inmates at Kailali Jail in Dhangadhi.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Singh, the Spokesperson of the District Police Office in Kailali stated that the situation in the jail is under the control of the police administration at present. “We have deployed 50 security personnel in the jail premises to maintain a normal situation,” he said. “We are organizing meetings with the relatives of the prisoners.”

Bharat Chaudhary from Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-4, who was injured in a clash between prisoners in the jail on Friday night, passed away today during treatment. The 44 prisoners injured in the incident are currently receiving treatment at Seti Provincial Hospital, Dhangadhi. The clash erupted between inmates residing in Block ‘A’ and Block ‘B’ of the jail. Currently, there are altogether 680 inmates in Kailali Prison despite its capacity to house just 100.

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16-       Rishitarpani, Rakshyabandhan, Janaipurnima festival marked

Kathmandu, Aug 9: The festival of Rishitarpani, Rakshyabandhan or ‘Janaipurnima’ festival was marked across the country today by changing Janai (the sacred thread) around the men’s body from the left shoulder to right after having a bath. The festival is also observed by Nepalis abroad. This festival is basically observed by the Hindus in the country. 

According to tradition, Hindu people receive the ‘Raksha Bandhan’ thread, which is tied around the wrist as an amulet.

On this day, offerings are made to seven great sages namely Kashyap, Atri, Bhardwaj, Gautam, Jamadagni, Bashishtha and Bishwasmitra, which literally means Rishitarpani.

As per the Vedic tradition, Janai is considered as a thread of knowledge.

Likewise, Kwati, a soup prepared from 11 different varieties of beans, was taken as a special delicacy today.

In the Tarai region, this day was celebrated by giving ‘Rakhi’ from the sisters to their brothers around the wrist of the brothers wishing them long life and prosperity.

Today, thousands of devotees worshipped lord Shiva at Pashupatinath, Gokarneshwor, Doleshwor, Santaneshwor and other Shiva temples in the Kathmandu Valley and across the country too.

Religious fairs were held at Gosainkunda, an alpine pilgrimage site in Rasuwa district, and at Dansanghu, Triveni in Jumla district to observe the festival with offerings to Lord Shiva.

Furthermore, religious fairs were organized at Panchpokhari of Sindhupalchok, Janakpurdham, Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar of Dhanusha, Dansanghu of Jumla and Trivenidham of Nawalparasi.

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17-       PM Oli receives Rakshabandhan

Kathmandu, Aug 9: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli received the Rakshabandhan (the sacred thread tied around the wrist) at his official residence in Baluwatar today.

As mentioned in his Facebook post, the PM Oli received the Rakshabandhan from the sisters of Brahmakumari Rajyoga Centre this morning.

The Rakshabandhan festival was observed by Hindus today, the full moon day in the month of Shrawan.

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18-       ‘New constitution offers several rights to indigenous nationalities

communities’

Kathmandu, Aug 9: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that the country entered into the federal system thanks to the struggles of the indigenous nationalities and Madhesi communities.

At a programme here Saturday organized by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities on 31st International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Minister Gurung shared that the members of the indigenous nationalities have enjoyed immense rights after the promulgation of the federal democratic republican constitution through the Constituent Assembly (CA). 

“Indigenous nationalities have achieved linguistic identity. All members of the indigenous nationalities have gotten rights on language and culture although this was not complete,” Minister Gurung said.    

He also viewed that management of possible conflicts between the indigenous nationalities who have received their rights recently and those privileged communities since long past was the need of the hour.

Minister Gurung argued that rights will not be guaranteed until there is the participation of indigenous nationalities at the policy level and the implementing bodies. 

He also expressed satisfaction to the increasing state of participation of indigenous nationalities at the policy level and the implementing bodies too. “There has been massive participation even from our community in the policy level,” Gurung said while stating that the effective role of the representatives of the indigenous nationalities should be scrutinized.

Also speaking at the event, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Suresh Ale Magar called for renewed struggles from indigenous nationalities to pitch for ethnic identity-based federalism.

Ale Magar said that the indigenous nationalities should work for the promotion of their identity along with the struggle for rights.

Nepali Congress leader Sita Gurung cautioned that the rights of indigenous nationalities could be curtailed in the name of the constitution amendment.

She drew attention of the government for the implementation of ILO Convention 169 and the other rights of indigenous nationalities communities accepted by the UN.

CPN (UML) leader Sher Bahadur Tamang, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Durga Rai and other leaders of the indigenous nationalities communities also expressed their views at the event by calling the state to be serious for the rights of the indigenous nationalities since they are being affected by several issues including the climate change and the excessive extraction of the natural resources.

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19-       One worker killed, 3 others injured following landslide in Nyadi

Hydropower

Lamjung, Aug 9: A worker was killed and three others were injured in a landslide occurred at the construction site of the Super Nyadi Hydropower Project in Lamjung on Saturday. The project with a capacity of 40.27 MW is under construction in Lamjung.

According to Ramesh Bohora, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the Lamjung District Police Office, the landslide occurred this afternoon buried 44-year-old Lagan Dhowj Gurung to death. He was temporarily residing in Besisahar Municipality-8 in the district.

Similarly, the injured ones are 21-year-old Biraj Gurung of Dordi Rural Municipality-5 and 35-year-old Pritam Lama of Madhya Nepal Municipality-7 from Lamjung district, and 25-year-old Bikash Bista of Jhimruk Rural Municipality-6 of Pyuthan District.

The injured workers are receiving treatment at the Provincial Hospital in Bensisahar. According to the police, the landslide occurred during the lunch hour.

A total of 40 workers were residing at the camp near the construction site, the police said.

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20 –      Home Minister consults secretary, chiefs of security bodies on Kailali Prison incident

Kathmandu, Aug 9: The Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing to airlift a critically injured inmate to Kathmandu for further treatment from Kailali.

The Ministry has stated that it has taken the incident seriously and has further tightened the security in the Kailali Prison.  

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak took stock of the incident from Home Secretary and the heads of the three security bodies regarding the overall situation of the Kailai Prison today.

Following the appraisal, the Ministry decided to airlift the injured one who is receiving treatment at Seti Provincial Hospital to Kathmandu via Nepali Army helicopter.

“The Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force will strengthen security provisions to ensure full security of the jail and to prevent any further untoward incidents,”   Home Ministry Spokesperson Ananda Kafle said.

A sky truck of Nepali Army is already sent to Dhangadhi to airlift the one who is critically injured in the clash, Kafle stated.

An inmate died and 44 other prisoners were injured in the clash that erupted between inmates residing in Block ‘A’ and Block ‘B’ of the jail on Friday night.

It is said that a large number of police personnel have been deployed to normalize the situation arising from a clash between inmates at Kailali Jail in Dhangadhi.

Currently, there are altogether 680 inmates in Kailali Prison despite its capacity to house just 100.

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22 –      Unity needed to preserve ancient cultures, Deputy Speaker Rana says

Jhapa, Aug 9: Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives (HoR) Indira Ranamagar has said that all should unite to preserve and promote our ancient cultures.

At a programme organized by Newa: Deya Dabu in Jhapa on Saturday, the HoR Deputy Speaker stated that museums should be established for the preservation of ethnic communities’ identities, languages, custom and cultures.

“Every ethnic community has its unique cultures. They should be preserved and handed over to the new generation,” she said.

Stating that China and European countries have preserved their 3000 years of old scripts, HoR Deputy Speaker Rana called for cooperation and collaboration of all for the preservation of our ancient civilizations and values.   

She viewed that the new generation should be given education about our social and religious norms and values.

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