21 August 2012. Requesting the issuance of mandamus and other necessary orders to the government in order to provide compensation and prosecute the perpetrators, the victims of Kapilvastu incident have today filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court. Apart from the Prime Minister’s Office, the writ petitioners have also made the District Administration Offices of Kapilvastu, Rupendehi and Dang as the respondents.
The victims had to knock at the doors of the apex court because nothing substantive had happened towards addressing the case, perpetuating impunity to the perpetrators. A probe commission was formed by the government on 20 September 2007 under the convenership of Justice Lokendra Mallik to investigate Kapilvastu incident. The commission had submitted its report to the Home Ministry within four months. However, the report has not been made public till date. Despite repeated request from the victims to make the report public and provide compensation to the victim, the Ministry has paid no heed to them.
The victims then appealed to the Information Commission invoking Section 10 and 27(3) of the Right to Information Act. Information Commission asked the Home Ministry to provide excerpts of the report to the victims. Based on the information culled out of those excerpts of the report, the victims appealed the Home Ministry to implement the recommendations of the commission. The Ministry, however, failed to act upon victims’ request.
Kapilvastu incident started on 16 September 2007 when some unidentified assailants shot Abdul Mohid Khan of Birpur VDC-6, Kapilvastu to death at 8:20 am. Abdul’s supporters then started expressing their ire by vandalizing things. Incidents of arson pillage and murder occurring that day and afterwards caused severe damages in many villages in Kapilvastu and surrounding districts. 14 people were murdered and hundreds were injured in the incidents. Physical property worth millions was destroyed. 1054 people were affected by the incident and they had to suffer immense loss.
Advocacy Forum provided legal assistance to the victims in filing the case.
