The incident of ambushing a passenger bus by the then rebel Maoists on the Bandarmudhe River in Madi has completed 16 years.
Thirty-eight people were killed on the spot and 72 were injured during the passenger bus (Na 1 Kha 3245) being exploded on June 6, 2005. Later, the death number reached 42.
Muktinath Neupane, chairperson of the Victims’ Committee of Badarmudhe Incident informed that 15 people injured in the incident were under medication and seven others were suffering from mental health issues.
A memorial has been established near the river in the memory of the deceased. But, he said this year preparations have been made to celebrate this day as a black day by lighting a lamp near the memorial.
The victims of the incident have become more traumatized as the assurances given to them at various times for the relief have not been fulfilled yet.
Those who lost loved ones in that tragedy and those persons with disabilities are still hoping to get justice and relief.
The agreement on December 3, 2017, between Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), Chairperson of CPN-Maoist Centre and the victims’ family of the Madi incident has not been implemented. The agreement has ensured the provision for employment or livelihood to the dependent of the deceased family and education for children.
The chairperson of the victims’ committee Neupane said “the incident is politicized during the election. The person who became the prime minister of the country betrayed to the victims. The trust is now destroyed”
Similarly, another agreement was made to build a model museum on 6.198 hectares of land in Badarmudhe in memory of those who lost their lives in the incident. According to Chairperson Neupane, none of these agreements has been fulfilled so far.
The Madi Municipality has so far provided relief of NRs. 100,000 to 25 people. Nirmal Sharma, a victim of the incident, said that they are traumatized due to the leaders who give assurances but do not fulfil them.
The information of the victims of the Badarmudhe incident has been collected. The data collection team met the families of the victims and collected the data.
Mayor of Madi Municipality Thakur Dhakal said, “The data of 135 people including the families of the deceased and the injured have been collected.”
The Badarmudhe Incident Resolution Committee formed under the coordination of Thakur Dhakal visited various places including Jhapa, Damauli and Pokhara to collect data. Four people from the same family in Jhapa were killed in the incident.
Mukti Neupane, the chairperson of the Bandarmudhe Incident Victims’ Struggle Committee, has demanded immediate fulfilment of the commitment made with the victims during the election.
He has demanded that the medical treatment of the injured should be free and that the previous agreement should be implemented.
INSEC has also expressed its concern through a press release on June 6, 2021.