Police have arrested three individuals on the charge of brutally assaulting 50-year-old Kul Bahadur Karki, ward chairman of Dullu Municipality-3, Dailekh, by tying him to an electricity pole at night.
A group of four youths from Daunsur, Chamunda Bindrasaini Municipality-9, had tied Karki to an electricity pole and mercilessly beaten him around 9 PM on the day of Chaite Dashain (April 5).
Karki was elected ward chairman from the CPN (Maoist Center). A video of Karki being tied to the pole and beaten at night was posted on Facebook.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Dahal, chief of Dailekh Police, Karki filed a complaint at the District Police Office on the evening of April 9 demanding legal action against those involved in the assault on him.
Karki had lodged a complaint of abduction and physical confinement against the perpetrators.
Based on the complaint, police arrested 33-year-old Nagendra Rawal, 24-year-old Topendra Rawal, and 19-year-old Vishal Khadka around 9:30 PM the same night.
However, 21-year-old Birendra Khadka, another accused named in the complaint, remains at large, and a search is underway for him, said Inspector Lal Bahadur Sunar, the District Police spokesperson.
According to Karki, he was on his way to a relative’s house that day. Before reaching his destination, four youths blocked his way and started beating him, he claimed.
He said that they dragged him to a pole after beating and knocking him to the ground, and started beating him again after tying him to the pole.
"I have bruise marks on my legs, eyes, and various parts of my body," he said. "They surrounded and beat me while I was walking after having a meal at a hotel. Then they tied me to a pole and subjected me to extreme torture."
However, the youths accused of assaulting him have a different account. They claim that they tied Karki to a pole to "teach him a lesson" after they caught him with another woman on his motorcycle.
"After seeing the ward chairman traveling with a local woman on his motorcycle around 10:30 PM, we taught him a lesson that a person holding a public office should not do so," they said.
Karki, however, has denied the allegation.
"Although I had gone to Daunsur in Chamunda Bindrasaini Municipality on a government motorcycle, I was walking alone after having snacks at a hotel at that time," he said. "This allegation is false."
DSP Dahal said that even if Karki had made any mistake or done something wrong, it was illegal to take the law into one’s hands and assault him in that manner. He added that action will be taken accordingly.
"Even if the ward chairman had committed any wrongdoing or made a mistake, the police could have been immediately informed for legal action," he said. "Taking someone under control at night and beating them like that by tying them to a pole is against the law. Action will be taken accordingly."
The three arrested individuals have been remanded for further investigation by the district court.
