NEPALGUNJ, April 17: Nepal Army (NA) has started an internal inquiry into an incident here in which Col. Raju Nepali reportedly thrashed seven locals after getting locked up inside a room with a girl on Sunday night and subsequently threatened a reporter with revenge if his promotion was adversely affected.
NA spokesperson Ramindra Chhetri on Tuesday confirmed that an internal inquiry into the incident has already begun. Similarly, District Police Office (DPO) Banke has said that it will investigate the alleged involvement of ASI Prashanta Budha Magar in the incident.
On Sunday night, Col. Nepali had surreptiously entered a room at Gurudwara road of Nepalgunj-15, where a girl had been living since last month. Locals locked up Col. Nepali from outside and called Banti Singh -- the landlord. However, before Singh turned up, Col. Nepali managed to escape with the help of his driver.
Once out of the room, Nepali went on the rampage, beating up seven locals including Rajkumar BK, owner of nearby Hungary Hotel. ASI Budha Magar, who turned up after being called by the locals, did not intervene. He, instead, saluted the colonel and remained a mute spectator.
BK on Tueday lodged a written complaint against Nepali and ASI Busha Magar for beating him up, along with other locals, for no reason.
When first contacted for NA´s reaction, spokesperson Chhetri had maintained that Nepali, who was posted at Imamnagar barracks in Nepalgunj, was manhandled by locals. On Tuesday however, Chhetri clarified his previous statement. He said whatever he had stated previously was the personal statement of Col. Nepali and not that of the NA.
On Monday night, after learning that his conduct was going to be reported in Nagarik daily, Col. Nepali had asked the Republica correspondent not to publish anything about the incident. In a veiled threat during a 15-minute telephone conversation, he spoke of revenge against those who harmed his career.
"If anything negative (about the incident) is published and my record is tainted, if for instance I lost my job or was barred from promotion, I should take revenge...shouldn´t I?" Col. Nepali said. Asked if he was talking about vengeance against the reporter, he quickly toned down. He said, "I just mean to say it will be a bit problematic if such a small incident is hyped up by a national daily."
Nepali added, "If someone writes something (negative) about me even though I´ve done nothing wrong, I´ll have to go all out. I will have to do everything I can. I am speaking hypothetically. Don´t take it otherwise."
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