Energy Minister Attacked

Mystery shrouds attack on minister
TKP, 12-Apr-11

Mystery surrounds the attempt on the life of newly named Energy Minister Gokarna Bista, who was attacked with a khukuri outside his Samakhusi-based residence late Monday evening. Bista warded off the blow but the assailant inflicted a deep gash on his left hand as well as his head.

Police said no threats against the young political leader had been reported and they were still investigating the motive while trying to identify the assailants. Bista was attacked just hours after being declared the energy minister by his party, CPN-UML. Police are looking into a range of possibilities including intra-party feuds and personal rivalries. At this stage, they have yet ruled out the involvement of armed looters.

Speculations about the involvement of UML men unhappy with his elevation as a minister are rife. Police also suspect that criminals groups carried out the attack to spread terror among the people.

No real culprit was apprehended in connection with the attack as of Tuesday evening, though Superintendent of Police Pushkar Karki claimed to have rounded up 187 suspects and riders of 10 Pulsar motorcycles from various parts of the Capital.

According to Gagan Bista, the younger brother of the injured leader, the assailants equipped with a khukuri waylaid Bista outside his residence and attacked him as he was walking home while talking on a mobile phone. It was the pillion rider who lunged at Bista with the khukuri and fled the scene. Bista’s family rushed him to the Samakhusi-based Manamohan Memorial Hospital.

The incident once again highlights the laxity in security arrangements. The audacious attempt has also come a day after two more motorcycle-borne assailants shot dead Indian trader Anjani Kumar Chachan at his apparel shop in Ganabahal in the capital. No one has been held in connection as yet with Chachan’s murder.

Meanwhile, prominent people including PM Khanal, ministers of the coalition government, Chief of Nepal Police Ramesh Chand Thakuri and Chief of Armed Police Force Sanat Kumar Basnet, among others called on Bista at the hospital.

Doctors attending him said that he is in stable condition. He is housed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because of his high blood pressure.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) had not communicated with security agencies about the appointment of Bista as minister. No security detail was provided to Bista even after three hours of his appointment as minister.

UML leader Yogesh Bhattarai asked why the PMO failed to instruct the police on security arrangements for the new minister. “This is a weakness on part of the government and PM Khanal, who is also Minister for Home Affairs. Why was there no security for Bista even after three hours of declaring him a minister,” asked Bhattarai, who is a Central Member of CPN-UML.