16 years on, justice still eludes victims of Bandarmudhe blast

Today or June 6 marks the completion of 16 years of the horrible Madi Bandarmudhe blast which ended in the tragic deaths of 42 people, leaving many more injured.

The incident happened when the then rebellion Maoist ambushed, targeting a passenger bus. Among the dead, three were the Nepal Army personnel.

Thirty-nine people were killed at the scene while three breathed their last amidst the treatment. The passenger bus was caught into the ambush near Bandarmudhe River on June 6, 2005 as it was coming to Bharatpur from Bagai of Madhi.

The victims said though years passed since the happening of the carnage, justice for them remains a far cry. As they complained, their pain and woes remain same and unhealed throughout these years.

 Bishnu Maya BK of Ganeshgunj of Madi Municipality and her 14-month-old daughter (at that time) were among those travelling in the ill-fated bus. Bishnu Maya got her right leg fractured and injury to her daughter. Her baby also suffering blast wounds to her leg. “But we are still waiting for justice.”

Susmita, who was involved in the incident as a child, is now a grade 10 student at the local Krishnanagar School. As she complained, she is living with multiple post- incident health complications such as constant back pain and headache.

Krishna Prasad Adhikari, Vice-Chairman of the Bandarmudhe Incident Victims' Struggle Committee, said people like him were bounded by the similar grief and pain that befell them following the blast. Six survivors are living with post-blast mental illness while seven who were left mutilated have been under regular medication since then.

"Though 16 years on, justice continues to elude the victims,’’ he complained. He further said they could not feel the presence of State during these tough moments of life. Adhikari had to use crutches for four years since the incident. His suffered the fracture of his both legs and back in the incident.

It may be noted thatCPN (Maoist Centre)Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal who had won the last House of Representatives (HoR) election from here (Chitwan-3) assured of addressing the issues of Bandharmudhe explosion survivors, but and no substantive move has been taken yet to heal their wounds.

They demand justice with truth, repatriation and punishment for the guilty as per the degree of crime.

Madhi Municipality Mayor Thakur Dhakal however said free education up to grade 12 was ensured for children of the victims. Victims can get free medical treatment inside Madhi and so far 35 families were provided Rs 100 thousand each and remaining 35 families will be getting the compensation within the current fiscal year. Sixty-four families have registered their details at the local government, identifying themselves as the victims of Bandarmudhe blast.

The Bagmati Province government has launched a project to construct a memorial park at the incident site. As the Mayor said, this year a boundary wall will be constructed in the area and Rs 4 million was allocated for the same. The park will have busts of those killed in the blast, kindergarten, garden and other structures. The park will occupy an area of two bigha eight kattha and the budget for the project is Rs 80 million.

 The victim families this morning visited the incident site to lit lamps in the commemoration of their loved ones who were killed in the incident.