Tinkune incident premeditated: Home Minister
Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said the arrests of those responsible for the violent demonstrations by pro-monarchists on March 28 continue to take place.
During a meeting of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, the House of Representatives today, the Minister said the main accused in the demonstrations, Durga Prasai, has been apprehended.
He added that the Council of Ministers has already decided to ensure free treatment for those injured in the demonstrations. "The government will bear the cost if the need to buy medicines outside the hospital pharmacies," he said. "I have visited the injured at hospitals."
According to the Minister, the process has been initiated to provide compensation of Rs one million each to the families of two killed in the demonstrations. He described the Tinkune demonstrations as a violation of the Constitution.
He further asserted that there is a space for expressing dissatisfaction in the constitutional and democratic system, but there is no excuse for seeking an alternative to democracy and for the regression.
The government has taken the Tinkune incident seriously. Such incidents must not recur, he added. "We are clear that the incident was predetermined and is a crime capable of spreading terror and anarchy."
Court remands Durga Prasai to 12-day judicial custody
The Kathmandu District Court on Friday remanded Durga Prasai to 12 days in custody for his alleged involvement in the violent pro-monarchy protest in Tinkune on March 28.
A single bench of Kathmandu District Court Judge Shishirraj Dhakal remanded Prasai and his associate Deepak Khadka to 12 days in custody.
According to police, investigation will be conducted against both of them on the charges of committing crime against the State and organized crime.
Durga Prasai, who was arrested from Assam, India, was brought to Kathmandu this afternoon.
He was brought to Kathmandu by Buddha Air from Bhadrapur Airport, who was earlier brought to Jhapa via Kakadbhitta border point directly from Assam.
Prasai, who had led the violent pro-monarchy protest in Tinkune on March 28, was apprehended from Assam with the help of Indian police and brought to Jhapa this morning.
Before bringing him to the airport, he was kept at the District Police Office, Jhapa.
Prasai’s bodyguard Deepak Khadka, who was detained along with him, was also brought to Kathmandu.
Controversial medial entrepreneur Prasai, who played a key role in instigating violence in the name of royalists in Tikune on March 28, claimed that he has surrendered to the Indian police.
He claimed through social media that he has turned himself in to the Indian police.
A few days ago, a team of Nepal Police had left for India to search Prasai.
He mentioned on social media that he surrendered to the Indian police at 9:13 pm after the guarantee of safety.
The pro-monarchy supporters had vandalized and torched commercial buildings and also attacked the office of Annapurna Media Network and other media outlets.
Two persons—photo journalist Suresh Rajak and Sabin Maharjan of Kirtipur had lost their lives and 129 others were injured during the violent protest.
Police have rounded up dozens in connection with the violence including Rastriya Prajatantra Party Vice Chairman Rabindra Mishra and General Secretary Dhawal Shamsher Rana.
Lamichhane files writ at SC against High Court’s order to send him to judicial custody
Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman and former Managing Director of Gorkha Media Pvt. Ltd has filed a writ at the Supreme Court against the order of the Tulsipur Butwal bench of the High Court to send him to prison for judicial custody.
Supreme Court Information Officer Assistant Spokesperson Nirajan Pandey informed that the petition on behalf of Lamichhane has been registered and the hearing has been scheduled for Sunday.
He was arrested and sent to jail after the Tulsipur-Butwal Bench of High Court overturned the order of Rupandehi District Court to release him on bail of Rs 10 million in cooperative and organized crime.
Lamichhane has demanded that the order be annulled and that he should be allowed to fight the case from outside.
Lamichhane, who was arrested in Kathmandu on Friday, was taken to Bhairahawa from Tribhuvan Airport on Saturday morning. Later, he was kept in custody at the District Police Office.
He was produced at the court today as there were holidays on Saturday and Sunday.
On January 19, the District Attorney's Office, Rupandehi, had filed a case in the Rupandehi District Court making President Lamichhane among others as defendants in connection with the fraud case of the Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative Society in Butwal.
Journey of prosperity and development would not be halted: PM Oli
Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has said attempts to stop the journey of prosperity and development by weakening the UML would not be successful.
Addressing an 'awakening assembly' organized by the party's Rupandehi district committee in Butwal today, he said the reactionary elements at home and abroad who were trying to divide the UML had failed.
"Those who are thinking of decimating the UML and creating a UML without KP Oli will not be successful. I am not going to live longer, even after that stronger leaders than me will emerge in the party. We ourselves will draw the lucky lines for the development of this nation. Those who set fire to people's homes and escape after looting shops cannot do anything for the revolution and change," PM and Party Chair Oli said.
Stating that there was misrule and disorder in the country during the monarchy and Panchayat rule, he said the democratic republic was brought through the sacrificial struggle of the people and the government was making all efforts to strengthen it.
Prime Minister Oli urged all to contribute to the journey of prosperity and good governance without being distracted by the regressive elements trying to spread anarchy and rumors to defame this system by thinking of the rule of their misrule and autocracy in the past.
Stating that it was useless to pursue the principle of hereditary superiority in the modern times, PM and UML Chair Oli said the present government was committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people for prosperity and development by strengthening the democratic republic.
Prime Minister Oli claimed that during the tenure of his government, various development projects, technology schemes and programmes such as various highways, hospitals, international convention centers, meditation centers and development of the agriculture production sector were brought to Lumbini.
UML Vice-Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel stressed the need to move ahead by tearing apart the false propaganda that has been done to overshadow the good works done under the leadership of Prime Minister Oli for prosperity and good governance.
UML Secretary and Lumbini province in-charge Padma Aryal said they were ready to discuss the works done by the UML and the party leadership and urged people not to go after the false propaganda spread by the opposition and the regressive elements.
Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Chet Narayan Acharya, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari, among others, were present on the occasion.



