The cremation of Chaitelal Chaudhary, 24, and his wife Sitajan Chaudhary from Belbhar, Barbardiya-11 was done on the day marking the peace agreement. The cremation was carried out on the day marking the peace agreement. The couple had been forcibly disappeared by the state 25 years ago from Barbardiya Municipality-5, Jabdahwa.
While returning home by bicycle from his uncle’s house, Chaitelal and his wife were arrested and forcibly disappeared by a team of the then Nepali Army on December 20, 2001, in Jabdahwa, Barbardiya Municipality-5, according to their brother, Bhagiram Chaudhary. Since the situation of the couple remained undisclosed their family used symbolic effigies for their cremation due to social and cultural pressure. Bhagiram stated that they conducted the cremation according to Tharu cultural traditions. Even though the rituals have been performed, they still hope the state will make the situation of those who were forcibly disappeared public.
The comprehensive peace agreement was signed on November 21, 2006. The agreement included a provision to make the status of the disappeared public within six months. However, even 20 years after the peace agreement, the state has not disclosed the situation of those who disappeared. During the conflict period, a total of 254 people were forcibly disappeared from Bardiya by both the state and Maoist forces.