The Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) has provided compensation to the family of Ganesh Rai, who was tortured to death by police in Kathmandu 8 years back.

DAO officials handed over the cheque of Rs 100,000 to Thamser Rai, Ganesh’s father on Monday. The Rais are residents of Chhintang Village Development Committee-1, a remote village in the eastern district of Dhankuta.

With assistance from the Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT), an NGO working against torture, Thansar had on 11 November 1998 lodged a case at the Kathmandu district court claiming compensation for the torture inflicted to his son who was arrested by the police in Kathmandu on 6 October 1998 on a false charge of theft at a guesthouse where he was working as a helper.

Ganesh died on 11 October 1998 during treatment at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu.

A statement issued by CVICT stated that the district court had on 11 September 2003 upheld the claim as pleaded in the compliant and ordered the Kathmandu DAO to provide the claimed amount to the complainant. Then, the complainant on 16 April 2004 filed an application before the KDAO requesting release of the amount as ordered by the court.

It, however, took four years to implement the court verdict in favour the victim’s family. According to the Torture Compensation Act 1996, the concerned district administration is supposed to provide the amount within 35 days of filing of the application following court verdict.

CVICT said its lawyers had made countless visits and follow-ups at the concerned state agencies for the early implementation of the court verdict.

“I lost my son, I can not think of any compensation for his absence,” 64 year old Thamsher told to CVICT officials, “However, I feel that I have found justice with all your efforts finally.” Thamsher along with his wife Dalsari, 64, and younger son Jaya Kumar, 20, was in Kathamndu from Dhankuta to receive the compensation.

It was the first time in Nepal that state has been bowed down to compensate torture victim with full compensation amount as provided by the torture compensation act. This case. however. was the third one that state has provided compensation to victims of torture following court’s verdict. Rs 50,000 each to Laxmi Prasad Poudel in Sunsari district and Amar Narayan Lonia in Nawalparasi district has already been awarded as compensation for be victim of torture at the hands of security officials. CVICT took initiatives to file all these torture compensation cases and served the victims or their relatives till the court decisions were implemented.

“Though the court decision was implemented with much delay, there is room to be encouraged that we have been able to fight for justice for the torture victim despite all adversaries and obstacles,” commented Dr. Bhogendra Sharma, president of CVICT.