82 killed in Nepal's tarai in 6 months: Report

Kathmandu, Nov 21 (UNI) Altogether 82 people were killed by separate groups in the 10 districts of the Nepal's eastern and central Terai over a five-month period, a human rights NGO said.

At a press meet organized in Hetauda yesterday Himrights (NGO) officials said the figures were compiled in Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusa, Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari and Morang districts between mid-May and mid-October.

Bara district had the highest number of killings as per the statistics with as many as 23 people killed. Similarly, 13 people each were killed in Rautahat and Sirah, eight each in Parsa and Saptari, six people in Sarlahi, five in Mahottari, four in Dhanusa, and one person each in Sunsari and Morang.

According to the report prepared by Himrights, 30 people were killed by members of the two factions of the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, three were killed by Maoists and 11 by state forces.

Likewise, members belonging to a group called Gorkhaland killed four persons, members of the Madhesi Mukti Tigers killed three and two persons died in separate bomb explosions during the period.

During the last six months there has been a spurt in the abduction cases with nearly 75 cases of abduction being reported.

Himrights have also termed the human rights situation of human rights in the central tarai as ''challenging'' with both the government and the Maoist Party violating the accord at will.

The Maoist party stands accused of breaching the Comprehensive Peace Accord during the one-year period after signing the pact. Prem Dahal, a Himrights official, informed that the Maoists outdid the government in violating the peace accord, reported Kantipur.

''The government accounted for six cases of violation, including continuing to maintain five army barracks in the district and patrolling Hetauda bazaar recently, both in contravention of the peace pact,'' added Mr Prem Dahal.

The Maoist party was accused of abducting five persons, beating up three others, threatening to kill two, and seizing lands belonging to seven different people.

UNI