Family members of 14 Chepang labourers, who died while working at the under construction airport in Kotwada, Kalikot district during the Maoist insurgency, filed a complaint at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) against then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chief of Army Staff Rukmangud Katuwal, Kalikot CDO and the then Nepal Army Kalikot battalion commander.

Thirty five people were killed in a Nepal Army operation in the area on February 23, 2002 after intelligence inputs suggested that Maoist combatants involved in attacking Achham district headquarters—Mangalsen, were hiding at the airport construction site.

Seventeen people killed during the operation were from Jogimara ward number 1, Jogimara- 5, Hekrang and Jogimara- 7 Kochrang.

“The Supreme Court is yet to announce its verdict on the case though we registered it on June 10, 2002. We have again filed a complaint at the TRC as we feel that we were denied justice,” said Govinda Chepang, son of Tilu Chepang, 60, of Jogimara-5, Hekrang who lost his life during the incident.

The kin of the victims have received Rs 500,000 from the government as compensation.