Kathmandu, Aug 12: The family of 19-year-old Rabindra Mehta will receive his body today for cremation after the government declared him a martyr, ending weeks of standoff over his funeral.
Mehta died after being injured in a violent clash in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj Rural Municipality 3, Sunsari. The Cabinet on Tuesday declared him, along with 25-year-old Om Prakash Mehta and 21-year-old Jai Prakash Mehta, martyrs. Ganesh Kumar Yadav, who died in related unrest in Siraha, was also granted martyr status.
Rabindra’s family had refused to accept his body, demanding official martyr status and action against those responsible. His body had remained at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu since his death on July 25.
The government and victims’ representatives reached a seven-point agreement on Monday following several rounds of talks with Home Minister Sudan Gurung. The Cabinet formally endorsed the martyr declarations the following day.
The agreement also calls for an immediate investigation into the legal status of a madrasa in Dewanganj 3 and implementation of recommendations from an investigation committee formed after the incident.
The Home Ministry had formed the committee under Joint Secretary Bhupendra Thapa, with a mandate to submit its report within a week. The report has yet to be submitted.
The government has also pledged Rs 1 million to each of the families of Om Prakash and Jai Prakash, along with legal action against those responsible and employment for one family member of each victim.
Dewanganj Rural Municipality Chairperson Bechan Mehta said names of family members seeking government jobs have already been submitted.
Three injured people remain under treatment, Amit Yadav in Kathmandu and Hare Ram Yadav and Mithilesh Mehta in Biratnagar.
Police have arrested several suspects in connection with the Kaptanganj violence. Their identities have not been disclosed due to the sensitivity of the case.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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