Maoists have freed Joshi, informs Khadka

Kathmandu, Oct. 1 (RSS): Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed Parliament today that the death of Malechhiya Devi, wife of Lalchan Yadav of Dandabela VDC in Mahottari district, is being investigated and those behind the incident are being searched for to subject them to legal action.

Home Minister Khadka, who was making statements of public importance separately at both Houses of Parliament, said Malechhiya Devi, 57, who was accused of witchcraft and implicated in the death of a local child, was given a clean chit by a local dhami or faith healer against the accusations.

However, Bijo Yadav, father of the deceased child, was not satisfied with the dhami’s conclusion and therefore dragged Malechhya Devi out of her house, took her quite far from her house, forced her to eat human excreta and urine and then just left her there, Mr Khadka said adding, other local people did not come to her rescue as they thought that it was a "police case" and they did not want to get involved.

Local police somehow came to learn about the incident the next day and the victim was taken to Jaleshwor hospital by bullock cart. She succumbed to her injuries on the way to the hospital, Minister Khadka said.

He also informed Parliament that ex-MP Dev Raj Joshi, who had been abducted by the Maoists, had reached home after his recent release. But he said he had no information whether other citizens and policemen abducted by the rebels have also been released or not.

The Home Minister expressed hope that all others abducted including police personnel would be released by the Maoists soon, if they had not done so already.

He also urged the Maoists to put a full stop to their violent activity.

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