RAUTAHAT, Oct 14: Police on Sunday arrested former minister Mohammad Aftab Alam on the charge of his involvement in committing several murders in Rautahat district in April 2008.
Alam, who is also a Nepali Congress lawmaker, has been accused of killing dozens of persons in a massive blast in Rautahat. The blast, which occurred at the cowshed of Alam’s relative when the victims were making bombs, had allegedly left 14 dead and eight injured. Alam has been accused of taking the blast-injured and the dead to a nearby brick kiln and throwing them in the furnace to destroy any evidence.
Later, it was learnt that all those killed were making bombs to create terror in the Constituent Assembly elections to secure Alam’s win.
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As per the investigation by police, Alam had killed eight of the injured witnesses in a brick kiln. A team of police led by DSP Nabin Karki arrested Alam at Idris Gate in Rajapur Municipality-1, while he was on his way to attend a tea reception organized by Nepali Congress in district headquarters, Gaur.
The Supreme Court had ordered proper investigation into the case and action as per the law on May 29, 2012.
Alam was elected lawmaker from Rautahat Constituency-2 in the first Constituent Assembly elections in 2008. Meanwhile, he lost the second Constituent Assembly elections in 2013. But in the parliamentary elections of 2017, Alam won from Rautahat Constituency-2.
As part of the police investigation, two persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the blast. Based on the statements given by the two accused during interrogation, police arrested NC lawmaker Alam, 11 years after the blast.
Following the arrest of Alam, cadres of Nepali Congress staged protested in front of the District Police Office, Gaur. The cadres also obstructed vehicular movement along the Gaur-Chandrapur road section, and burnt tires in district headquarters Gaur.
Organizing a press meet, chairperson Rautahat chapter of Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Yadav, said that the arrest of Alam is unconstitutional.
Yadav also threatened to intensify protest if Alam is not released at the earliest. Following Alam’s arrest, security in Rautahat has been tightened.
