rediff.com: Series: Josy Joseph reports on the recent mayhem in Nepal

Part 1

'What crime did she commit?'

Josy Joseph in Kathmandu
Preface | Part 2 | Part 3
December 27, 2000.
Barsha Koirala, 12, and her friend Manjita, 14, were playing inside the Annapurna guesthouse in Thamel. It is located some 500 metres off the main road, in a broad bylane.
Barsha sat on a chair and Manjita on the bed next to her.
It was about 4 pm. Barsha's brother Balmukund, 16, was in their cramped first-floor house. Her mother, Sunita, 32, was downstairs, sweeping the premises of the small temple. Her father Babu Krishna, 37, was at his office in Tipureswar, another part of Kathmandu.
It was a sunny afternoon. But the only window in the room was closed: the anti-Hrithik Roshan demonstrations that had started the day before were in full flow outside.
Barsha had just returned from school. Her mother had picked her up and brought her home through an alley behind.
The child had run straight to the guesthouse. "I told her, come and have food, but she refused," recalled Sunita.
At the Indian Army-run Bharatiya Gorkha Niwas on the main road, there were several ex-servicemen and families. Most of them had reached the city after a long journey, to collect their pension and rations.
On this particular day, Captain Chandra Man Gurung, the supervisor of the Niwas, could not do much work.
"There was so much noise. The students were chasing the police to one end of the road. Then the police would chase them back," he said.
The demonstrators were burning old tyres on the road. As the afternoon began to slide into evening, they began to pelt the Niwas with stones.
"Till 3 pm there was no attack on our building. And then suddenly, they started stoning us," said Gurung.
In the guesthouse, Barsha and Manjita continued playing. By then the road outside was littered with burning tyres.
Soon Barsha's father phoned up. "It was after lunch-break in office," he recollected. "I told my wife not to allow the children to go out."
After attending the call, Sunita went down and continued cleaning.
On the main road, things had taken a violent turn. The Niwas was under attack. And a frightened police force, in complete riot gear, charged.
The students ran helter-skelter. Some entered the bylane leading to the guesthouse.
The police did not go in after them. They knew they would be in for a pelting if they did. So they took positions on the main road.
The cornered students started pelting the police again.
"We were asked to get ready," recollected a policeman. Initially, he said, they fired in the air. But the "students did not disperse and continued to stone us". So they were fired upon.
There are many who dispute this version. Barsha's mother, for one, says there were no students in the lane.
A bullet pierced the windowpane of the room where Barsha was playing. She took it in her stomach.
"She told me it was paining," said Manjita.
A stream of blood shot from her. "Sunita bhabhi Barsha ko gholi lag gaya (Barsha has been hit by a bullet)," shouted a neighbour.
The mother rushed inside, scooped up her bleeding daughter, and ran out -- through the rioting crowd.
She pleaded with the policemen to take her to the hospital. "There is a vehicle at the other end of the road, take her there," the policemen told her, pointing a long way off.
Sunita ran into a group of demonstrating students. But they too did not stop to help her
She ran ahead and got a taxi to the hospital. Midway, the Barsha was transferred into an ambulance.
Barsha was whimpering "Mummy, mummy". Sunita tried to stop the flow of blood with a handkerchief.
It took nearly 30 minutes to reach the hospital. Barsha was rushed into the operation theatre, but soon breathed her last.
"I am not a politician, I am an ordinary man. Now what should I do?" mumbled Babu Krishna.
Like every year, he had been planning to celebrate Barsha's birthday with a visit to the Kali Mandir on December 28.
"She did not protest. She did not demonstrate. What crime did she commit?" asked Sunita, with tears rolling down her face.
Barsha was not alone on her last journey. Five others, including Karma Lama, another fifth standard student, accompanied her. While Kathmandu sacrificed five lives to rumours and mobs, two others were killed in the Terai region.
Thanks to that mayhem, the Nepalese have been divided into the people of hills and people of plains. Those from the plains are called Madheshias, those of Indian origin.
This could well spell another nightmare in the Hindu kingdom.
Interview with Ambassador Deb Mukharji
'I find it curious that the violence was so well-organised'
The Kukri Factor | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
More specials
Photographs: Josy Joseph
Page design: Dominic Xavier

Mail us your response

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	Part 1 'What crime did she commit?' Josy Joseph in Kathmandu Preface \| Part 2 \| Part 3 December 27, 2000. Barsha Koirala, 12, and her friend Manjita, 14, were playing inside the Annapurna guesthouse in Thamel. It is located some 500 metres off the main road, in a broad bylane. Barsha sat on a chair and Manjita on the bed next to her. It was about 4 pm. Barsha's brother Balmukund, 16, was in their cramped first-floor house. Her mother, Sunita, 32, was downstairs, sweeping the premises of the small temple. Her father Babu Krishna, 37, was at his office in Tipureswar, another part of Kathmandu. It was a sunny afternoon. But the only window in the room was closed: the anti-Hrithik Roshan demonstrations that had started the day before were in full flow outside. Barsha had just returned from school. Her mother had picked her up and brought her home through an alley behind. The child had run straight to the guesthouse. "I told her, come and have food, but she refused," recalled Sunita. At the Indian Army-run Bharatiya Gorkha Niwas on the main road, there were several ex-servicemen and families. Most of them had reached the city after a long journey, to collect their pension and rations. On this particular day, Captain Chandra Man Gurung, the supervisor of the Niwas, could not do much work. "There was so much noise. The students were chasing the police to one end of the road. Then the police would chase them back," he said. The demonstrators were burning old tyres on the road. As the afternoon began to slide into evening, they began to pelt the Niwas with stones. "Till 3 pm there was no attack on our building. And then suddenly, they started stoning us," said Gurung. In the guesthouse, Barsha and Manjita continued playing. By then the road outside was littered with burning tyres. Soon Barsha's father phoned up. "It was after lunch-break in office," he recollected. "I told my wife not to allow the children to go out." After attending the call, Sunita went down and continued cleaning. On the main road, things had taken a violent turn. The Niwas was under attack. And a frightened police force, in complete riot gear, charged. The students ran helter-skelter. Some entered the bylane leading to the guesthouse. The police did not go in after them. They knew they would be in for a pelting if they did. So they took positions on the main road. The cornered students started pelting the police again. "We were asked to get ready," recollected a policeman. Initially, he said, they fired in the air. But the "students did not disperse and continued to stone us". So they were fired upon. There are many who dispute this version. Barsha's mother, for one, says there were no students in the lane. A bullet pierced the windowpane of the room where Barsha was playing. She took it in her stomach. "She told me it was paining," said Manjita. A stream of blood shot from her. "Sunita bhabhi Barsha ko gholi lag gaya (Barsha has been hit by a bullet)," shouted a neighbour. The mother rushed inside, scooped up her bleeding daughter, and ran out -- through the rioting crowd. She pleaded with the policemen to take her to the hospital. "There is a vehicle at the other end of the road, take her there," the policemen told her, pointing a long way off. Sunita ran into a group of demonstrating students. But they too did not stop to help her She ran ahead and got a taxi to the hospital. Midway, the Barsha was transferred into an ambulance. Barsha was whimpering "Mummy, mummy". Sunita tried to stop the flow of blood with a handkerchief. It took nearly 30 minutes to reach the hospital. Barsha was rushed into the operation theatre, but soon breathed her last. "I am not a politician, I am an ordinary man. Now what should I do?" mumbled Babu Krishna. Like every year, he had been planning to celebrate Barsha's birthday with a visit to the Kali Mandir on December 28. "She did not protest. She did not demonstrate. What crime did she commit?" asked Sunita, with tears rolling down her face. Barsha was not alone on her last journey. Five others, including Karma Lama, another fifth standard student, accompanied her. While Kathmandu sacrificed five lives to rumours and mobs, two others were killed in the Terai region. Thanks to that mayhem, the Nepalese have been divided into the people of hills and people of plains. Those from the plains are called Madheshias, those of Indian origin. This could well spell another nightmare in the Hindu kingdom. Interview with Ambassador Deb Mukharji 'I find it curious that the violence was so well-organised' The Kukri Factor \| Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 More specials Photographs: Josy Joseph Page design: Dominic Xavier Mail us your response
HOME \| NEWS \| CRICKET \| MONEY \| SPORTS \| MOVIES \| CHAT \| BROADBAND \| TRAVEL ASTROLOGY \| NEWSLINKS \| BOOK SHOP \| MUSIC SHOP \| GIFT SHOP \| HOTEL BOOKINGS AIR/RAIL \| WEDDING \| ROMANCE \| WEATHER \| WOMEN \| E-CARDS \| EDUCATION HOMEPAGES \| FREE MESSENGER \| FREE EMAIL \| CONTESTS \| FEEDBACK