Himalmedia attack- accused released on bail
Ramesh
Babu Panta and Ramesh K.C, the two Maoist-affiliated labour union
leaders accused in the attack on Himalmedia office and its staffers 10
days ago, were released on bail Thursday.
Lalitpur
Chief District Officer (CDO) Laxmi Prasad Dhakal released the duo on a
bail amount of Rs 12,398 each after conducting a hearing on their case
at the District Administration Office.
The bail
amount was meant to cover Rs 20,385 the government prosecutor had
recommended as compensation to Himalmedia for the damages carried out
at its offices by a group of workers allegedly led by Panta and KC.
Around
200 Maoist trade union activists and workers, who had gathered at the
CDO for the hearing, started celebrating soon after the duo came out of
the office following their bail. Our reporter at the scene said that
the jubilant crowd smeared the duo's faces with vermillion as a sign of
victory and also held a small procession for some time.
"We
were not involved in the attack [on Himalmedia]. We were wrongly
accused," Panta, chairman of All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers'
Union, told media persons and the jubilant crowd after his release. "A
high level probe commission should investigate the Himal incident and
bring out the truth."
Panta and K.C also demanded that the 18 staffers wrongfully sacked by the Himalmedia should be reinstated at the earliest.
Chairman
of Maoist Trade Union Shalikram Jammarkattel, who arrived at the CDO
office for the hearing but left immediately after Panta and KC were
released, said that he not will let rich business owners exploit the
workers and will always fight for their rights. He also described the
Himalmedia episode as a "class struggle" between workers and rich
businessman.
Jammarkattel, however, stressed on
resolving the "Himalmedia labour dispute" through dialogue, but at the
same time warned of "serious consequences" if the workers rights are
undermined while doing that. He was clearly referring to the employees
who were laid off by Himalmedia citing growing company losses.
Panta
and KC were remanded to 10-day police custody on Sunday. The district
Administration Office, Lalitpur, remanded Panta and KC to 10-day police
custody on Sunday, as requested by the police, in order to complete the
inquiry.
Kunda Dixit, the editor/publisher of
Nepali Times weekly, one of the publications of Himalmedia, had lodged
a case at the District Police Office, Lalitpur, on Thursday, demanding
legal action against the two and others involved in the attack last
Sunday.
The two main accused had surrendered to the DAO on Friday.
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