Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Karna Bahadur Sarki, 42, was mercilessly beaten after he dillydallied in washing utensils after drinking alcohol at a local shop cum eatery, and reportedly urinated in a drunken state. Eatery owner Shova Karki and her son Krishna Karki thrashed Karna Bahadur so that his eyes were swollen and bloodied, and his seventh rib on the left side of the body was broken.
CASE DETAILS:
Karna Bahadur went to a local shop in Halogade Bazaar of ward number 4, Musikot Municipality, Gulmi District to buy rice. He planned to drink one glass of locally brewed alcohol before buying the rice, but ended up drinking three glasses.
As Dalits are required to wash their dishes after eating at local eateries, despite paying for their food and drink, shopkeeper Shova Karki told Karna to wash his glass before leaving the shop. As he was inebriated, Karna lazily went to wash the glass. He then slipped and hit the drum used to keep water for washing dishes, resulting in water pouring down on his body.
Then the shopkeeper claimed that he urinated on the floor. She and her son, Krishna Karki, scolded and hit him mercilessly, and forced him to leave the shop.
Karna Bahadur’s wife took him to a neighbor, Om Bahadur Singh’s house, fearing further thrashing. However, Krishna Karki even came there, and hit Karna Bahadur with a stick, black and blue, until he fell unconscious. Karna Bahadur’s wife pleaded with Krishna to stop the beating, but in vain. She also offered to clean the place where her husband reportedly urinated.
Karna was beaten so severely that he suffered a broken rib and his eyes were bleeding and swollen. Even as he was being taken to the hospital on a stretcher, local non-Dalits harassed him. When local Dalit advocates tried to intervene, they were threatened with serious consequences.
The AHRC demands a prompt and proper investigation into this case. The victim and his family must be provided safety and security. The perpetrators must be punished as per Caste based discrimination and Untouchability (Crime and Punishment) Act 2011. The guilty must be punished so that others are deterred from practicing caste based discrimination and untouchability in the country.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the following authorities calling on them to take necessary action against the people involved in this incident. The police authorities must immediately arrest the alleged perpetrators, as there are threats to the victim and his family.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance requesting an intervention in this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
NEPAL: Dalit customer beaten mercilessly by shopkeeper
Name of victims: Karna Bahadur Sarki
Alleged Perpetrators: Shova Karki and her son Krishna Karki, of Gulmi District
Date of incident: 9 July 2017 to present
Place of incident: Halogade Bazaar of ward number 4, Musikot Municipality, Gulmi District
I am writing to voice my deep concern as I came to know that Karna Bahadur Sarki, 42, was mercilessly beaten after he dillydallied in washing utensils after drinking alcohol at a local shop cum eatery, and reportedly urinated in a drunken state.
Karna Bahadur went to a local shop in Halogade Bazaar of ward number 4, Musikot Municipality, Gulmi District to buy rice. He planned to drink one glass of locally brewed alcohol before buying the rice, but ended up drinking three glasses.
As Dalits are required to wash their dishes after eating at local eateries, despite paying for their food and drink, shopkeeper Shova Karki told Karna to wash his glass before leaving the shop. As he was inebriated, Karna lazily went to wash the glass. He then slipped and hit the drum used to keep water for washing dishes, resulting in water pouring down on his body.
Then the shopkeeper claimed that he urinated on the floor. She and her son, Krishna Karki, scolded and hit him mercilessly, and forced him to leave the shop.
Karna Bahadur’s wife took him to a neighbor, Om Bahadur Singh’s house, fearing further thrashing. However, Krishna Karki even came there, and hit Karna Bahadur with a stick, black and blue, until he fell unconscious. Karna Bahadur’s wife pleaded with Krishna to stop the beating, but in vain. She also offered to clean the place where her husband reportedly urinated.
Karna was beaten so severely that he suffered a broken rib and his eyes were bleeding and swollen. Even as he was being taken to the hospital on a stretcher, local non-Dalits harassed him. When local Dalit advocates tried to intervene, they were threatened with serious consequences.
I demand a prompt and proper investigation into this case. The victim and his family must be provided safety and security. The perpetrators must be punished as per Caste based discrimination and Untouchability (Crime and Punishment) Act 2011. The guilty must be punished so that others are deterred from practicing caste based discrimination and untouchability in the country.
I look forward to your prompt action in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers of Nepal
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu
P.O. Box: 23312
NEPAL
Tel: +977 1 4211000
Fax: +977 1 4211086
Email: info@opmcm.gov.np
2. Mr. Janardan Sharma
Home Minister
Ministry of Home Affairs
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu
NEPAL
Fax: +977 1 421-1257, 421-1286
Email: gunaso@moha.gov.np
3. Mr. Anupraj Sharma
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Pulchowk, Lalitpur
NEPAL
Fax: +977 1 55 47973
Tel: +977 1 5010015
E-mail: complaints@nhrcnepal.org or nhrc@nhrcnepal.org
4. Mr. Raman Kumar Shrestha
Attorney General
Office of Attorney General
Ramshah Path, Kathmandu
NEPAL
Tel: +977 1 4240210, +977 1 4262548, +977 1 4262394
Fax: +977 1 4262582 / 4218051
Email: info@attorneygeneral.gov.np
5. Mr. Prakash Aryal
Inspector General of Police
Police Head Quarters
Naxal, Kathmandu
NEPAL
Fax: +977 1 4415593
Tel: +977 1 4412432
Email: phqigs@nepalpolice.gov.np
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)
