Fifteen individuals have been sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the killing of two inmates at the District Jail, Khandbari.
A bench of Judge Raj Kumar Koirala of the District Court on June 10 convicted the defendants under Section 171 (1) of the National Penal Code, 2017, and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The court also ordered each defendant to pay compensation of Rs. 50,000 to the nearest legal heirs of the deceased, Tolangi and Balami, pursuant to Section 186 of the same Code, according to Court Registrar Ujwal Neupane.
Binod Tolangi, 20, of Madi Municipality-5, Sankhuwasabha, and Akash Balami, 28, of Kakani Rural Municipality-7, Nuwakot, died on August 9, 2023, after being beaten by security personnel and fellow inmates inside the jail.
The investigation revealed that the two inmates were first taken under control after allegedly attempting to escape by cutting the bars of a jail toilet window. They were subsequently beaten collectively by police personnel and other inmates, resulting in their deaths.
According to Ujwal Neupane, Registrar of the District Court, Sankhuwasabha, 15 individuals, including seven police personnel, were sentenced to life imprisonment for the killing of the two inmates.
Following the incident, the seven accused police personnel were sent to Dhankuta Jail, and the eight accused inmates to Tehrathum Prison for pre-trial detention.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Laxmi Chaudhary, Police Constable Suman Gurung, Prison Security Guard Daman Singh Rai, Havildar Raj Kumar Shrestha, Constable Pawan Kumar Mahato, and Security Guard Nusan Rai were sentenced to life imprisonment. Likewise, Chowkidar Ram Karki, Bada Naike Anish Sharma Kattel, Sachin Rai, Saha Naike Suman Saru Magar, Tikaram Chauhan, Nabin Kumar Rai, and inmates Min Bahadur Tamang and Indradhwaj Ghimire were also handed life sentences, according to Court Registrar Ujwal Neupane.
Following the fatal beating of the inmates, police launched an investigation and detained seven police personnel, including the prison in-charge, and eight inmates on charges of killing. A bench of the then District Court Judge Tek Nath Gautam had ordered the seven police personnel to be sent to Dhankuta Jail and the eight inmates to Tehrathum Jail for judicial custody.
INSEC Koshi Province Office, Biratnagar, conducted a field monitoring visit from August 11 to August 13, 2023, and concluded that the deaths of the two inmates resulted from the beating. The findings were made public during a press conference held in Biratnagar on August 17, 2023.