Kailali, March 12
The last rites of Govinda Gautam, killed in SSB firing while protesting against the breach of Nepal’s sovereignty at Ananda Bazaar, Kanchanpur district, are being performed with state honours. The rites will be performed at the end of a funeral procession.
Currently, Gautam’s body is at Seti zonal hospital. It is learnt that the funeral procession will start shortly. Hundreds of people have poured into the hospital complex and Dodha river banks, where Gautam’s last rites will be performed.
With the local administration not yet relaxing curfew orders (it has issued curfew orders till 7 pm on Sunday), local people are finding it hard to take part in the funeral procession of Gautam, who was from Punarvas municipality, Kanchanpur. The government has decided to offer an 11-gun salute during Gautam’s last rites.
Gautam had died at Ananda Bazaar on Thursday, when SSB opened fire in course of a territorial dispute. Earlier, locals of Punarvas municipality, had refused to accept Gautam’s body, demanding that his last rites be performed with state honours. Local people, including Gautam’s family, agreed on performing Gautam’s last rites after the government decided to perform his last rites with state honours. The government has also declared Gautam a martyr.
