According to Sanumaya, Shukaram Tamang, arrested Tuesday on the charge of beating him up, was released under the pressure of Radha Krishna Bastakoti, the UML village committee chairman and former Deupur VDC secretary. Shukaram, some days ago, managed to cut off the water pipe supplying the village and his farmland, said Sanumaya, adding that when she spoke out about the drinking water being cut, ‘Shukaram started thrashing her, in retaliation to the accusation put forth’. “I went unconscious when he (Shukaram) kicked me on the chest,” she said.

Sanumaya’s husband Dirghaman said that Shukaram fled the scene when he cried for help. The victims lodged a complaint against Shukaram in police the day after.

A source said that UML leaders are pressing the police not to proceed with the matter. Inspector Basanta Kumar Rana said that they are investigating into the case.