Bihar rights panel orders action in Nepal politician's death

The Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) has ordered action against two state police officials for the detention and subsequent death of a Nepali politician in a shootout, an official said Wednesday.

The BHRC has also directed the state government to pay compensation of Rs.1 lakh to the family of the slain national president of the Madhesh Rashtra Jantantrik Party of Nepal, Ram Narayan Mahto, popularly known as Manager Mahto.

Acting chairman of the BHRC Neelmani said the compensation amount will have to be paid in three months' time.

Mahto was detained by the Jainagar police in Madhubani district in 2009 and illegally handed over to Nepal police, which killed him in what is alleged to be a staged shootout, in blatant violation of human rights.

"It was a high-profile case for the BHRC as it involved a foreign national who was also a political leader. The accused tried their best to suppress and manipulate evidence, challenging our jurisdiction and saying the case was time-barred. The probe, however, revealed the truth," Neelmani said.

Mahto, a prominent leader of the Madhesis (Nepalese plains people), was arrested by the police from a tea shop in Jainagar village, along with two acquaintances. Both acquaintances were released soon afterwards.

Mahto was handed over to a team of Nepal police personnel that visited Jainagar, in breach of procedure in such cases.

Mahto's brother Premlal Mahto said his brother was killed in a staged shootout a day after he was taken by Nepal police.

After Nepal police refused to lodge a case in the matter, Premlal approached the BHRC and filed a petition December 2011.

"On the directives of the BHRC, zonal IG (Inspector General of Police) R.K. Mishra and later, his successor G.S. Gangwar, conducted the probe, and found two police officials guilty of suppressing facts, giving wrong explanations, and forging station diaries to avoid detection," Neelmani said.