Krishna Adhikari's father dies before obtaining justice for his son, shot by Maoists
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - After a long ten-year battle for truth and justice about his son's murder, Nanda Prasad Adhikari died yesterday in a hospital bed in Kathmandu.
He and his wife Ganga Maya began a hunger strike 11 months ago to get the authorities to arrest the Maoists considered responsible for abducting his son Krishna, who died in 2004. His wife is still alive but remains in "critical but stable" conditions in hospital.
Maoist guerrillas abducted the couple's son, Krishna Prasad Adhikari, on 6 June 2004, accusing him of collaborating with the army for defending a family from the abuse of armed gangs. The young man was beaten and tortured for several hours before he was shot and left by the roadside.
Right after the crime, several senior members of the Communist group "warned" the family not to pursue the case "on pain of death." However, Krishna's parents never ceased seeking justice for his death.
After the country's civil war ended and due to the incessant demand for truth on the part of the parents, the authorities arrested Ram Prasad Adhikari, a senior Maoist official, on 6 September 2013 on suspicion of killing the young man.
The accused was released on 29 September following two weeks of Maoist protests. Afterwards, Krishna's parents decided to go on a hunger strike. Despite being fed intravenously, the conditions of the two got progressively worse.
The family has refused to take Nanda's body. "We will give him an honourable funeral when the battle is won," a family member said.
For its part, the government has tried to distance itself from accusations. "We did our best to save his life. It is a shock for all of us," a government spokesperson said.
"Nanda's death does not matter because his demand for justice will make him immortal. It is scandalous that the state left him alone," said Ganesh Prasad Adhikari, a teacher and an admirer of the couple.
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21/05/2007
