House panel recommends action against 28 people over Belbari massacre

A panel of parliamentarians investigating the Belbari massacre, Morang district, in April 2006 has recommended action against 28 people who have been found guilty.

In its report presented to the House Saturday, the probe committee headed by lawmaker Pari Thapa stated that six innocent civilians were killed and dozens others injured in an indiscriminate firing by Nepal Army personnel.

Those held responsible for failing to protect the lives of innocent civilians include then chief district officer of Morang Narendra Dahal, police Superintendent Jagat Bahadur Bista, head of the Itahari-based army division Major General Om Bahadur Pun, head of Bishnu Dal Battalion Sanu Tamang and Captain Prahlad Thapa Magar of Bishnu Dal.

The committee also recommended compensation, which ranges between Rs 25 thousand to 1 million, to the injured people and the families of the victims.

Concluding that Sapara Gurung, a 22-yr-old local girl, was gang-raped and murdered, the committee recommended further investigation into the 'involvement' of Captain Prahlad Thapa Magar, Sipahi Bir Bahadur Mahara and Sipahi Nirmal Panta into the incident.

On 26 April, 2006, army personnel at the Belbari post had sprayed bullets on a crowd of locals, who had been staging protesting against the murder of Sapana Gurung, killing six people on the spot and injuring over two dozen others. nepalnews.com mk Jan 12 08