DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇵 Nepal /Crime & Justice

Teen’s fatal shooting in Siraha still a mystery as forensic probe begins

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • The fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy in Siraha during unrest remains a mystery as all three security agencies deny firing the fatal bullet.
  • Authorities have expanded the investigation to include ballistic and forensic experts to determine the source of the bullet that killed Ganesh Yadav.
  • The boy's family agreed to collect his body after signing a seven-point agreement with the government, but the central question of who fired the shot persists.

The circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ganesh Yadav during recent unrest in Siraha remain unclear, deepening the mystery as Nepal's police, armed police force, and army have all denied firing the bullet that killed him. The teenager was shot in the neck on July 30 in Golbazar, following communal tensions that had spread across Madhesh Province. His death has fueled public anger, amplified by a viral video of his grieving brother informing relatives.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung met with Ganesh's father in Siraha, leading to a seven-point agreement with the government before the family would collect the body. However, the core question, whose bullet caused the fatal injury, remains unanswered. Local authorities were informed that the Nepal Police only used blank rounds and rubber bullets, and the Armed Police Force reportedly did not fire live ammunition. The Nepal Police spokesperson confirmed an investigation committee was formed on the day of the incident, with the home ministry also establishing a separate committee to examine the broader unrest.

We have also been informed that the Armed Police Force did not fire live ammunition.

— Surendra PaudelThe Chief District Officer of Siraha states the information received regarding the Armed Police Force's actions during the unrest.

Despite the deployment of Nepali Army personnel to assist civil authorities during the imposed curfew in Golbazar, the army has also denied firing live ammunition. The home ministry's committee, tasked with investigating the unrest, has identified determining the source of the bullet as one of the most challenging aspects of their inquiry. To address this complexity, the investigation team has been expanded to include two specialists from the Nepal Police Forensic Science Laboratory, who will conduct detailed ballistic and forensic examinations. This scientific analysis is now seen as the most promising path to establishing responsibility for the teenager's death.

The question of who fired the bullet has been more complicated than it initially appeared, and we are treating it as our top priority.

— Committee MemberA member of the home ministry-formed committee describes the difficulty in identifying the source of the fatal bullet.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog