Maoist-tortured woman attempts self-immolation

BY LABADEV DHUNGANA, Kantipur Report

PANCHTHAR, Aug 8 - Subjected to "severe torture" by Maoists in the name of settling a family dispute, a woman here tried to burn herself to death on Friday evening.

Muna Tamang, 25, of Saalghari, Phidim-5 tried to commit suicide a day after she was forcefully dragged inside a hotel room by some Maoist cadres and meted out "physical torture" for around half an hour, according to eyewitnesses.

Tamang has sustained severe burn injuries on her face, chest and other parts of the body. She is undergoing treatment a Panchthar Hospital.

As stated by Tamang's husband Jayprakash, the incident had started last Thursday, after four to five Maoist cadres, along with local cadre Jagdish Dhungel, barged in while the Tamang couple were having an altercation over a family matter in front of local Indreni Automobile Shop. Muna had asked the rebels to leave, saying it was a family dispute.

Following Muna's remark, the Maoists had forcefully dragged her inside a room in the nearby Thapa Hotel, tied up her hands and "tortured" her for around half an hour, Jayprakash said.

"I tried to get inside the room but they did not let me in. I could only hear her screams from outside, I was helpless, I couldn't do anything. Only god knows what they did to her inside the room," Jayprakash, said.

When Muna came out of the room, there were bruises all over her body, Jayprakash said. As Muna could not overcome the trauma of the torture, she soaked herself with kerosene and set herself on fire the following day. Jayprakash too sustained some injuries while trying to save his wife.

Meanwhile, stating that the incident was tragic, district vice-chairman of Maoists, Shambhu, said his party would investigate and punish the culprit.

Though the victim's family has filed a complaint against Maoist cadres, the police have been showing reluctance to take any action, apparently because of Maoist involvement.

Posted on: 2006-08-07 21:24:05 (Server Time)