Miscellaneous
Writ at SC against use of lethal weapons in protests
A writ has been filed at the Supreme Court seeking ban on the use of lethal weapons and excessive force by security personnel in the ongoing protests against the draft constitution.A writ has been filed at the Supreme Court seeking ban on the use of lethal weapons and excessive force by security personnel in the ongoing protests against the draft constitution.
In the writ petition filed on Wednesday by Rakshyaram Chamar on behalf of Bismilah Khatun, wife of Jakar Husain, who was injured in police firing in Birgunj, the litigant has argued that the use of excessive force and lethal weapons have posed a serious threat to “public’s right to life.”
The Office of the Prime Minister, Police Headquarters, Law Ministry and the National Human Rights Commission have been made defendant in the writ.
The petitioner has argued that the police personnel opened fire with the intent of killing protesters instead of issuing warnings before opening fire. It states that the police should open shots below the knee accordance to Local Administration Act 2028. “But the police opened fire targeting the chest,” states the writ.
It has claimed that police opened fire at Rajiv Raut in Sarlahi, Raj Kishor Thakur in Rautahat and scores of protesters by disregarding the act. Both Raut and Thakur had died on the spot after police opened fire at them with the intention of killing, it claims.
Jakar Husain, who was seriously injured in police firing on Tuesday, is receiving medical attention at Bir Hospital in the Capital.