Badarmude wounds fester on 8 years later

Eight years have elapsed since the horrendous Badarmude incident in which 38 locals lost their lives in an ambush set up by the Maoists, and the injured who survived have still not received justice and proper compensation from the government.

The incident dates back to the insurgency period. A bus loaded with passengers was caught in a bomb explosion triggered by the Maoists at the Badarmude rivulet in the Madi area of Chitwan district.

“Forget about justice for us, my injuries from the blast have not yet healed,” said Krishna Adhikari, one of the victims who is also deputy chief of the struggle committed formed to pressure the government over the matter.

“Among the total injured, nine have been undergoing treatment at their own expense, and the government itself has provided no medical treatment for the surviving victims to date,” said Adhikari.

Doctors have recommend to another of the injured, Ishwor Poudel, 42, of Kalyanpur VDC Wada-4, to take medicines for the rest of his life, and he rarely misses his twice-daily pills. Had the government paid attention to his plight, he would have returned to being active and agile like other people, said Poudel.

Poudel, the victim who lives nearest to the blast site, was the last person to board the bus. The bus had picked him up and gone just 200 meters when the blast occured.

“I didn´t have to pay for any of the initial medical treatment but afterwards I had to meet all the expenses. So far I have spend around Rs 500,000 on my treatment,” he said.

“It´s not that I haven´t knocked on the doors of Chitwan District Administration Office (DAO) time and again, but they turn deaf ear every time,” added Poudel.

Adhikari is also on regular medication. During the blast he received injuries to the chest, hips and legs and he can now walk only with a crutch. “Among the total number injured, nine are still undergoing regular checkups,” he said.

Besides those killed, altogether 72 passengers were injured in the blast. “Only 18 of the injured have received Rs 40,000 as a relief package,” Adhikari added.

Labels: