The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal has expressed deep concern over the death of joint regional administrator of the eastern region, Prem Prasad Sapkota, in Maoist captivity in Dhankuta, Friday.

The Biratnagar regional office of the oHCHR has deployed a team to Dharan to observe the handover of the body to the authorities by Nepali NGO and human rights workers.

“OHCHR-Nepal understands that an autopsy will be carried out in Kathmandu in order to determine the cause of death, and will monitor the results of this autopsy,” the statement said.

“This is the moment when the leadership of the CPN (Maoist) must give clear and public instructions to its cadres to end all abductions of civilians, must release any other civilians still held after being abducted, and must ensure that those instructions are followed,” Chief of the OHCHR in Nepal Ian Martin said.

Similarly, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has launched a probe into Sapkota’s death.

Meanwhile, various human rights activists on Saturday urged the Maoists to make public their view on the suspicious death of Sapkota while in their captivity at Rajarani area of Dhankuta.

Speaking at an interaction in the capital, they also charged the Maoists violated all international humanitarian laws and the Geneva Convention by abducting the unarmed Sapkota.

NHRC member Sudip Pathak, human rights defenders Kapil Shrestha, Subodh Pyakurel of INSEC, Gopal Krishna Siwakoti and Birendra Keshari Pokhrel said the Maoists should take the moral and judicial responsibility for Sapkota’s death.

Sapkota was suffering from asthma, so why did the Maoists abduct him and continue to keep him in captivity without providing him any medicine, they asked.

Likewise, the Himalayan Times daily quoted Rita Sapkota, the wife of Sapkota as saying that Maoists’ apathy of her husband’s health led to hia death.

“My husband used to take medicine regularly and lack of them in Maoist custody led to his death,” a shell-shocked Rita said, adding, “Though my husband had to go through an ordeal, I pray nobody else will have to face the same again.”

Sapkota, 57, was abducted on February 7 along with 14 other government officials and security personnel during the Maoist attack in Dhankuta. He was suffering from hypertension, diabetes and asthma, died in Maoist captivity on Friday.