Sons died, justice prevailed: victims' families laud court decision on murder case

By Raju Lamichhane, Rukum Paschim, Dec. 6: Families of the victims of a murder case of six youths in Rukum Paschim have lauded the verdict of the district court.

The court on Tuesday sentenced life imprisonment to 24 people involved in the murder case, and on Wednesday the families and relatives gathered at the court gate to shower it with garlands. They also go around the local market carrying a banner that read - sons died, justice prevailed.

In appreciation of the decision on the murder case of six youths of Soti of Chaurjahari Municipality-8, Rukum Paschim, the relatives and families of the victims also played local musical instruments at the front of the court in a mark of the celebration of the court decision.

Rukum District Court slapped on Tuesday life imprisonment to 24 persons for their involvement in murdering six youths at Soti of Chaurjahari Municipality-8, Rukum Paschim, four years ago. 

A single bench of District Judge Khadak Bahadur KC on Tuesday sentenced 24 of the 34 defendants of the murder case to life.  On May 23, 2020, six persons including Navaraj BK of Jajarkot were brutally murdered at Soti.

According to Information Officer of the District Court Govinda Prasad Koirala, 23 of the convicted were remanded in custody while one was released on bail. 

Koirala said that the then Ward Chairman Dambar Bahadur Malla, Dilli Bahadur Thakuri, Prem Bahadur Thakuri, Santosh Malla, Mohan Pun Magar, Man Bahadur Malla, Top Bahadur Malla, Sabin Pun aka Sarwajeet, Tilak Chand, Irda Bahadur Thakuri, Lipendra Kumar Malla, Harka Bahadur Malla, Binod Malla, Netra Bahadur Malla, Resham Bahadur Malla, Dhanraj Rana, Navin Kumar Gharti Magar, Biraj Pun Magar, Bhim Bahadur Pun, Ramit Pun Magar, Bishnu Malla and three others, including the father of the so-called girlfriend of Navaraj BK, and her two brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment. 

Of them, additional two-year imprisonment was slapped on those who had their family name as Malla and Thakuri in the caste discrimination case as well as a fine of Rs. 50,000.