Grenade that killed two kids was of armed conflict era: Home Minister

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 31: Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said that the grenade bomb that went off in a house at Dandagaun in Phalelung Rural Municipality-5, Prangbung, Panchthar district, killing two minors, is from the time of the armed conflict period.

Two minors, 11-year-old son Dipson Sanwa and two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Prinsa of Dilip Sanwa were killed in the blast when a grenade, which was at the house of the former Maoist activist Aitaraj Kerung alias IB, exploded on Thursday. 

Pawan Rai, the 10-year-old son of Gyan Bahadur Rai, who was staying at the same house, was also injured in the blast. The two children died while on their way to a hospital.

During an interaction with journalists at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday, Home Minister Lekhak said that the bomb that exploded in Panchthar was from the conflict era.

"A grenade went off. It was a very tragic incident. I had a long discussion with the police today itself. I had asked them how it exploded," Home Minister Lekhak said. 

"According to the information we have received, this is an old grenade from the time of the armed conflict. The tragic incident occurred due to the explosion of that grenade," said the Home Minister. 

He said that it was a tragic moment that children died due to the explosion of a conflict-era bomb at a time when the transitional justice issues were being resolved, and the remaining tasks of the peace process were being completed. 

"The pain of the armed conflict is still alive; tragic incidents are still happening due to bomb explosions," he said, adding that another bomb had also been found and was defused by the Nepali Army today.

In a different context, Home Minister Lekhak said that the draft of the Nepal Police Act was approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs and sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval. 

He mentioned that the draft of the Police Act would be registered in Parliament within 100 days of the formation of the Council of Ministers led by KP Oli. He said, "We will complete this task within 100 days of the formation of the government."

Lekhak further said that the process of consolidating nine election-related laws into a single law was underway. 

He said, "The Armed Police Force and Immigration Bill are also in the preparation stage."

He stated that the guidelines related to the police character certificate had been approved and sent to the Cabinet for approval. 

He said, "My goal is to create timely laws and run the concerned institutions by the rule of law."

Similarly, Minister Lekhak said that the Ministry was planning to open two immigration offices along the border with China and one along the border with India. 

Home Minister Lekhak said that immigration offices would be established in Tinkar and Korala on the Chinese side and Belahiya on the Indian side.

Minister Lekhak said that the offices are being established targeting travellers going to Mansarovar and Kailash, with one office on the northern side and another on the southern side in Belahiya. 

He said, "We have identified the locations and will establish offices in Tinkar, Korala, and Belahiya within 100 days of the government in office."

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that its serious attention was drawn to the Panchthar explosion.

In a statement, the rights body mentioned the Comprehensive Peace Agreement point no.5.1.4 which states, "Both sides will inform each other about the explosive mines used by both sides during people's movement within thirty days and both sides shall cooperate to disable and eliminate them within sixty days."  

It has been suspected that the explosion in Panchthar was due to an explosive left abandoned during the conflict time, read the NHRC statement. 

The press statement issued by Dr. Tikaram Pokharel mentioned that it was very sad that at a time when the victims of the armed conflict are awaiting justice even 18 years after the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement, children are still falling prey to stray bombs of the conflict period.  

NHRC has directed the government to conduct an impartial investigation into the incident that claimed the lives of innocent children and take action against the culprits. NHRC also directed the government to arrange for free and effective treatment of the injured and provide compensation to the injured and the families of the deceased.  

It also instructed to defuse such explosives to prevent such incidents from happening again.