Fast-unto-death case shakes Nepal

The case of a couple staging a fast-unto-death for more than a month has shaken the whole country after their health condition became critical.

Parents of Krishna Prasad Adhikari, who was killed by alleged Maoists during the 10-year-long insurgency, have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Bir Hospital, a government-owned hospital, after their health deteriorated, reports Xinhua.

Nanda Prasad and Ganga Maya of Gorkha district have been staging the fast demanding that their son's killers be brought to book. Despite top leaders, the head of the government and rights activists urging them to end the fast, the couple is refusing to end the fast.

They have told the government and political parties that they would die but would not end the hunger strike until the murderers of their son are punished.

Rights groups are saying that the government and United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) will be responsible if anything untoward happens to the couple.

The UCPN-M is saying that the murder should not be booked by police as it is a war era case and it should be dealt through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Head of the interim election government Khilraj Regmi Thursday met the couple and urged them to end the fast.

Top leaders of major political parties Wednesday met and urged the couple to end their hunger strike which also did not yield any positive outcome.

The Adhikari couple accused the government of repeatedly breaching their trust by telling them that the investigation process has begun and that the culprits would be arrested soon.

Meanwhile, a group of conflict victims staged a demonstration in front of the hospital, demanding justice for the couple and other conflict-era victims.

Nine organisations working for victims of the Maoist insurgency urged President Ram Baran Yadav to save the Adhikari couple's lives.

Though the government has said that it would arrest the people involved in the killing despite protests from the UCPN-M, there has not been any progress yet.