There have been countrywide protests against the statement given by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai regarding the murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa.
At a rally organised by the Federation of Nepali Journalists in New Baneswor, FNJ chairman Shiva Gaule expressed deep concern about the public defence of murderers by the executive head of government. He said, "How can democracy be safe in a country where journalists are always in danger?"
On Tuesday, PM Bhattarai had condemned the arrests of those accused of torturing and burying Thapa alive, and said that the government did not support the police's actions. Reacting to the PM's statements, lawyers said the state itself had pressed charges in this case.
In Dailekh, locals burnt an effigy of the Prime Minister after it became known that the district court's proceedings to take testimonies from the accused had been abrupted. Students, civil society leaders, and journalists stopped traffic for two hours and demanded that all investigations resume. Similar protests were also seen in Rajbiraj, Saptari.