'They took him, but never brought him back', martyr’s widow cries out for justice

By Radha Luitel,Phidim, Sept. 22: 30-year-old Kamal Bhandari of Singhapur, Hilihang-2, Panchthar, was fatally shot while participating in the Gen-Z Movement. 

Kamal, a returnee migrant worker, had recently come back from eight years of hard work in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, hoping to finally settle down with his family.

Today, his dream of building a home for his family remains incomplete. His grieving family is grappling with a loss that money or justice may never heal.

Kamal was the second son of Ganesh Bhandari. He lived with his elderly parents, his wife Sita Paudel, their five-year-old son Riyaz, his elder brother, younger brother and sister.

Sita, now three months pregnant, recalls the day her husband left home for the last time.

“He was working on the house until 10 in the morning. After lunch, some neighbours came by urging him to join the protest.

He hesitated when I tried to stop him, but eventually said, ‘I’ll be back soon,’ and left,” Sita said, tears welling in her eyes.

That evening, when Kamal didn’t return, Sita grew anxious. Repeated calls went unanswered. The next morning, she received a call from a security guard at B and C Hospital.

“The person in the phone call said, "Your family member is here, please come." My heart sank. When we reached the hospital, he wasn’t in a hospital bed. He was in the mortuary. I fainted on the spot,” said Sita. 

Kamal had worked hard in the Gulf to save enough money to buy a small plot of land in Birtamod-10, Jhapa, where he had started building a home.

His dream was simple: to live a peaceful life with his family and start a small business once the house was complete.

“He used to say, ‘You suffered alone while I was abroad. Now we’ll stay together. We’ll bring our parents to live with us too.’ But now!! they took him and never brought him back,” Sita cried.

Kamal was shot in the head. Those friends who took him didn’t inform Sita about the condition of her husband.  

“We later heard that if someone had identified him earlier, doctors would have been able to save him through emergency surgery. But no one informed me about his condition. Not a single friend,” she wiped her tears. 

On September 13, the family brought Kamal’s body back to his village and carried out his final rites at Limbuni Ghat. 

His uncle Shanti Kumar, mother Khagmaya and wife Sita are now in mourning. The entire village is in mourning.

The government has announced a compensation of Rs. 1.5 million for families of those who died in the protests. 

But Kamal’s father, Ganesh Bhandari, says no amount of money can measure the worth of a life.

“People like my son went to the streets because of the corrupt leaders. And now we’ve lost him. Do they think money can heal our grief? If they really want to make things right, they should ensure the future of my daughter-in-law and grandchildren,” he said, wiping his tears. 

“Let no parent lose a child like this. Let no woman lose her husband. May the country change for the better so that no one ever has to take to the streets in protest again,” he added.