03.30.06
While choppers attack at Thokarpa of Sindhupalchowk
A photo story by Bhojraj Bhat/Kantipur
They began to move about hours before the scheduled time. It was Thokarpa VDC in Sindhupalchowk, where the Maoists were scheduled to organize a mass rally on March 28, 06.
Barsha Man Pun, a.k.a. Ananta, who is a special commander-in-charge of the CPN-Maoist, arrived at 11.30 through a bus. He was flanked by another central committee member, Agni Sapkota, a.k.a. Kanchan.
The dais was yet to be built. Brigrade Commissar Ganga Karki was entrusted with the job. Some were engaged in weaving the garlands of rhododendrons nearby while others were busy carrying the chairs and tables.
With the arrival of another bus at 12 o™clock, the number of the participants increased.
Half of the insurgents were busy in eating and drinking.
Out of sudden there was a sound of a flying plane. Some said it was a regular flight while others guessed that it could be a Royal Nepalese Army spy plane. When the plane began to hover not far above their heads, the Brigade Commissar Vishwa and Commander Govinda Batala ordered to make necessary preparations to bear the attacks.
Soon, a Chita helicopter began to hover around. Fearing attacks, people began to run helter-skelter. œKeep the journalist safe, a commander cried. They took one Nepali and another foreign journalist to the upward place of Bagh Bhairav Higher Secondary School.
Meanwhile, the gunship chopper began to rain bullets at the place where this scribe was standing along with journalist Dinesh Shrestha and a Japanese journalist. An insurgent met his death on the spot after he received bullets from the chopper.
The Maoists were overhearing the messages being communicated through walkie-talkies by the RNA personnel, through 10-band radios.
Four choppers continued bombarding the place for one and half hour and vanished in the horizon.
After the sounds of the choppers vanished away, the insurgents came out and went towards the hilltop. Everywhere, there was confusion. Someone informed that Ananta and Kanchan had already left for a safer place. One insurgent was slain near Thokarpa School and another was lying dead a few yards east. The Maoists cremated the dead bodies in a nearby brook.
People were heard weeping in a village near the school. Maila Khatri, a local, was breathing his last. He succumbed to the bullet injuries after a few minutes. Three goats were also killed at the place.
Villagers cower behind a house as Royal Nepalese Army choppers bomb at school 10 meters away.
People again began to run helter-skelter. An army chopper, which was back after fueling, began aerial attacks.
The insurgents, who were heading for Wafal Bhanjyng, borderline between Kavre and Ramechhap districts, began hiding in the bushes. The insurgents also used a house in Lishung bazaar as a hideout, refusing the request of the hostess not to take refugee there.
After being assured that the choppers would not come back again, the insurgents put the injured inside a bus at 5 pm; but, out of sudden a helicopter turned up and began to rain indiscriminate firings. There was no human loss.
An army chopper landed at Thokarampa at 5.30 pm and the RNA personnel got out of it. The two sides exchanged fires the whole night. The transportation was disrupted due to the clash.
The aerial patrolling continued till Tuesday morning. The Maoists captured a bus that had come to Dolalghat from Deurali in Kavre, and used it to carry their cadres.
The Maoists had organized the mass rallies in Wangthali on January 23 and in Jalbire on March 5 as exercises for such a war. Kanchan was the chief guest in those programs.
tika shrestha said,
March 31, 2006 at 9:10 am
i hope it’s problem sloving fast, all parties set on table and discuse
ritu said,
March 31, 2006 at 9:26 am
what is really going on? its so disgraceful to see such situations and delimas..i didn’t even had to read the whole articles…picturesand headlines were enough to define the situations….what is government, king really wants?? the youth doing, while standing infront of people of countries, you say..redblooded sons and daughters, where are you you all..beneathe the suppression… isn’t it a high time to rebel..
ngapal/New York said,
March 31, 2006 at 9:32 am
please try to solve this problem as soon as possible.
Manoj/USA said,
March 31, 2006 at 10:07 am
Actually, this is really bad story. I don’t think one group is less responsible than other. There are uncountable number of cases where either army or maoist or both are responsible. So, just to coment a particular issue among thousands does not make any sense. Both army and maoists are actually showing to the ordinary people what they are and why there are for. There is a competition for killing innocents between army and maoists. Now it is the traditional way of thinking among the people that who group killed the more he won the particular game, not over all. This is another MAHABHART and no body is going to win in reality.
UFN said,
March 31, 2006 at 10:34 am
The story seems to be interesting to read.. but in reality… these 2 force fighting (maoist as well as govt force) is being funded by international intelligence via large number of NGO and INGO. It just reminded me of Afghanistan war. Every politician knows that what will be the outcome of this war and who will be in beneficial position. And you can well imagine Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, North Korea…. This will lastly converge to China and Russia… Now you think…
GMAN,Africa said,
March 31, 2006 at 10:37 am
Why don’t human right activist point out the severe crime made by Maoist.At first, to make public gathering in govermental school is the plans made by maoist to kill people and to make human right activist vow against goverment.The aerial attack was launched with full of precaution to save civil life. Otherwise,the rebels would know what is aerial attack and its result?
Nirjan Tamang, Afghanistan said,
March 31, 2006 at 10:47 am
The Nepal coaliation forces are keeping their best effort to maintain peace.
In future, we always need to support the infantry with the air attack at the time of an offensive attack and we must manage properly. Our Commanders should always look back to our weak points and leakages in our system. Somebody needs to do some analysis on every battle we get pinned. The conclusion might help us take over the nations headache.
Subas Dura/ Herat Afghanistan said,
March 31, 2006 at 11:13 am
It is enough to killing innocent people. Please stop to kill your brother and sister. Both are not gaining public support. This is the totally wrong from both sides. Please stop to gather innocent people for your stupid political achievement. You both will not gain nothing you are going to kill innocent people. You both are saying they are fighting to welfare of Nepalese people but it is barbarism you two are in wrong track. It is the last moment to correct you. Please don™t kill Nepalese again like this. If you both want to betterment of Nepal you both have to talk together and discuss and find out the solution to get out from this situation. No way except negotiations to stop killing each other.