Dahal apologises for worst attacks on innocent civilians during Maoist insurgency; announces relief package of Rs 6 million

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has apologised for the tragic Badarmude incident in Madi of Chitwan which is considered one of the worst attacks on innocent civilians during the Maoist insurgency.

A total of 39 passengers including three Nepal Army personnel were killed and 72 injured in an ambush planted by the former rebels of then CPN (Maoist) – as Dahal’s party was known during the insurgency period - at Badarmude in Kalyanpur VDC of Madi, Chitwan district on June 6, 2005.

Inaugurating the week-long Madi festival on Thursday, Dahal immediately turned emotional during his speech and sought apology from the victims of the notorious attack, which his party had said “happened mistakenly”.

He also announced a relief package of Rs 6 million for the victims of the attack, adding that the relief package was prepared by consulting with different government bodies.

On the occasion, he said though the Badarmude incident was a ‘wartime accident’, it was against the party’s “policy” and vowed to take action against those involved in the incident.

Dahal, who had reached the site for the first time in nine years, said that he was committed not to visit Badarmude before providing any relief package to the victims.

Meanwhile, relatives and family members of those killed in the deadly bomb attack by the Maoists on the passenger bus staged protest as Dahal arrived in the area to inaugurate the Madi Festival.

However, Dahal escaped the embarrassment as police dispersed the protesting locals at Basantapur just before he landed at the venue on a helicopter. Two of the protesters including Krishna Adhikari, who was injured in the bombing, were arrested. Nepalnews.com