Supreme Court Imposes Life Imprisonment on Resham Chaudhary

The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the decision of the High Court Dipayal to sentence Resham Chaudhary, the mastermind behind the Tikapur carnage, to life imprisonment.

The division bench of SC justices Dr. Anand Mohan Bhattarai and Nahkul Subedi ruled that Chaudhary will serve a life sentence for his role in the tragic incident.

The Tikapur carnage occurred on August 17, 2015, when agitating Tharu activists unleashed violence that resulted in the brutal killings of eight individuals.

Among the victims were Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lakshman Neupane, the head of the then Seti Zone, five Nepal Police personnel, two Armed Police Force members, and an infant. Chaudhary, identified as the mastermind, had been previously convicted and was serving a life sentence.

In March 2019, the Kailali District Court had sentenced 11 individuals, including Chaudhary, to life imprisonment for their involvement in the incident. This verdict was subsequently upheld by the High Court.

Chaudhary lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s decision. He is currently incarcerated in Dillibazar jail in Kathmandu. The case was scheduled for regular hearing on Monday, and due to its lengthy nature, it continued into Tuesday.

Another individual involved in the case, Laxman Chaudhary, initially sentenced to three years in prison by the District Court, also received a life imprisonment sentence from the High Court Dipayal. However, the Supreme Court has determined that Laxman Chaudhary’s sentence will not be changed, and the High Court’s decision will be upheld. Notably, the government has not appealed against the High Court’s verdict in this particular case.