HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Last rites of Shrestha performed at Aryaghat

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Jan. 27: The daughters, one of whom had flown in from England, broke down as the funeral pyres of their parents were being lit, and thousands others shared the feeling of losing one's near and dear ones.

The last rites of Krishna Mohan Shrestha, Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Armed Police Force, and his wife Nudup, were performed at the Pashupati Aryaghat as per the Vedic tradition today.

Late IGP's youngest brother Jesh Mohan Shrestha lit the funeral pyre as a contingent of the Armed Police Force presented a guard of honour.

Similarly, the last rites of sub-inspector Surya Bahadur Regmi were performed according to religious tradition, at Khaniyaghat on the banks of the Kali Gandaki River in Parbat in west Nepal today. Late Regmi's 13-year-old son Saurabh lit the funeral pyre. His body was flown to Parbat, his home district, by helicopter this morning.

From early this morning, a large number of people had begun gathering at late Shrestha's residence in Kalanki to pay their respect to the dead ones.

The funeral procession of their mortal remains started at about 1 P.M. with police personnel, relatives, well wishers and common people taking part. The bodies of late Shresthas were carried in a police truck, with the battalion of the Armed Police Force marching along, and the band of the Force sounding requiem.

Thousands of people had lined along the procession route through Balkhu, Kalimati, Tripureshwar, Ranipokhari, Gyaneshwar, Ratopul and Gaushala. People lining the route, many with misty eyes, threw flowers at the bodies as a mark of respect. The procession had taken almost two hours to reach the final resting place - Aryaghat.

There were thousands more at the Pashupati Aryaghat who had waited hours to pay homage to the late Shresthas.

At Aryaghat, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal, Inspector General of Nepal Police Shyam Bhakta Thapa, Chief of Royal Nepalese Army Staff Pyar Jung Thapa, Assistant Inspector General of Armed Police Force Sahabir Thapa, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, ministers, former ministers, high level government officials, politicians and relatives paid their last tribute to late Shrestha and his wife.

Late Shrestha's eldest daughter Namita and youngest daughter Kriti were present at Pashupati Aryaghat. Namita had arrived in Kathmandu today from England.

The security personnel had some difficulty managing the huge crowd. As the mortal remains of the Shresthas went up in flames, the people stood in silence, many with tears in their eyes to pay their respect for the man who laid his life in the service of the country and the people.

IGP Shrestha, his wife and his bodyguard Regmi were shot dead by a gang of masked assailants at Bagdol of Lalitpur about 7:30 Sunday morning while on a morning walk.

In Parbat, Baburam Karki, Superintendent of Police and chief of the Chandika Police Battalion at Kusma, chief of the security body, and other personnel of the police force paid tribute to late Regmi. SP Karki also expressed his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family. Hundreds of people had gathered at the funeral site to pay their respect and tribute to late Regmi.

Born in 2029 B. S. at Ekpate of Naglinbang Village Development Committee (VDC) in Parbat district, he had joined the police force nine years ago.

He is survived by wife Bishnu Devi Regmi, son Saurabh and daughter Sujata.

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