The Supreme Court has delivered a consequential verdict, affirming the Dipayal High Court’s ruling to impose a life imprisonment sentence on Resham Lal Chaudhary for his role in the 2015 Tikapur incident. Justices Anand Mohan Bhattarai and Nahkul Subedi, constituting a division bench, upheld the lower courts’ decision regarding Chaudhary’s punishment.
Chaudhary will now serve the entirety of his sentence as directed by the court. The High Court had previously upheld the Kailali District Court’s verdict on March 6, 2020, which had sentenced Chaudhary and six others to life imprisonment in connection with the Tikapur incident.
The Tikapur incident originated on August 17, 2015, following a controversial decision to incorporate Kailali district into a single province, alongside seven other hill districts. This decision faced opposition from the Tharu community residing in Kailali. The subsequent protests, spearheaded by Chaudhary under the banner of the Tharuhat movement, were part of a larger agitation spanning several districts along the plains. The movement aimed to challenge what was perceived as discriminatory practices by the Kathmandu administration against Tharus, Madhesis, and Janajatis.
As the Tharuhat protest intensified, the local administration imposed a prohibitory order. On August 24, 2015, the Tharuhat group called for defying the order, leading to a clash between protesters and the police. Tragically, the confrontation resulted in the loss of nine lives, including that of a senior police official and a child.
On September 15, 2015, Resham Lal Chaudhary and other individuals were charged with murder by the police. However, in the recent Supreme Court ruling, two of the accused, Sitaram Chaudhary and Gangaram Chaudhary, were acquitted and ordered to be released from prison. Furthermore, the apex court upheld the District Court’s initial decision, resulting in the release of Laxman Tharu. Initially sentenced to three years of imprisonment, Tharu had been subsequently given a life sentence by the High Court.
This Supreme Court verdict solidifies the gravity of Chaudhary’s involvement in the Tikapur incident and reiterates the administration of justice in this pivotal case.
