The recent death of CK Raut's cadre Ram Manohar Yadav, under police detention for showing black flag to Health Minister Upendra Yadav, while being taken to hospital for treatment has sparked controversy.
Human rights activists, independent civilians and Raut have termed Yadav's death an extra-judicial killing.
Bardiya Police informed that Yadav, who was under their detention, died on August 31 while being taken to Kathmandu for treatment.
The police said that Yadav died of heart problems arising due to high blood pressure.
Spokesperson of CK Raut Abdul Khan accused of police negligence in the death of Yadav.
Police had detained Yadav from a program organized by District Coordination Committee, Bardiya on August 23 in which Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav was also present. The cadres of Raut along with Yadav showed black flag to DPM Upendra Yadav.
The chief at Bardiya Police Surendra Prasad Mainali said that four people from Nepalgunj were arrested for obstructing a discussion program of District Coordination Committee in Gulariya.
"They showed black flag. They even chanted slogans for secession," Mainali said, "We handed them warrant immediately after the arrest. The District Court on August 24 extended judicial custody by seven more days."
Chief District Officer (CDO) of Bardiya Ram Bahadur Kurumbang said that four people including Yadav were arrested for chanting slogans seeking secession.
"They tried to disrupt the program attended by DPM. They also chanted slogans seeking secession," Kurumbang told Setopati, "We arrested them after they chanted slogans in favor of secession. People may think that we might have tortured them. But we did not do so."
He said that Yadav was immediately taken to the hospital after finding him unconscious in the police cell. He claimed that Yadav, whose left hand tremored while speaking, passed out due to high blood pressure.
"The left part of his body did not function properly after he passed out in the prison. We took him to the district hospital near the police office within two-three minutes," Mainali told Setopati.
Meanwhile, Raut's spokesperson claimed that police arrested Yadav only with a suspicion.
"The black flags were shown while protesting against Yadav's arrested," Khan said, "Police did not give him medicines even when he asked."
He also claimed that Yadav died after after being denied regular hypertension medicines. Khan further said that police did not let them meet Yadav for two days.
He claimed that police were slow in taking Yadav to the hospital although he passed out at 5 am.
The police chief, however, denied such accusations. Mainali said that Yadav was immediately taken to District Hospital which referred him to Bheri Zonal Hospital. "We took him to Nepalgunj Nursing Home after the doctors at Bheri Zonal Hospital referred him to a hospital with ICU facility," he said.
Raut's spokesperson Khan, on the other hand, complained that the police took two hours to take Yadav to Nursing Home after the Bheri Zonal Hospital referred him to a hospital with ICU facility.
Bardiya CDO Kurumbang said that Yadav was then taken to Kathmandu accompanied by a medical officer and two police personnel after Nepalgunj Nursing Home said he could not be treated there. He breathed his last while being taken to Kathmandu.
