A year after the deadly incident in Tikapur of Kailali, in which nine lives were lost, socio-communal harmony is gradually returning to normalcy, but victims say they are still awaiting justice.

On August 24 last year, as protests over the constitution were at its peak and Tharus were up in arms, eight police officials, including a senior superintendent of police, and a two-year-old boy were killed during demonstrations in Tikapur. Scores of others were injured while property worth millions of rupees was destroyed in the aftermath.

The spectre of the horrific carnage still continues to haunt Tikapur locals, but they seem firm not to let the social harmony get shattered, just as they call for justice to the victims.

“We do not want any kind of enmity between the Tharu and Pahadi (people of hill origin) communities,” said Lalbir Chaudhary of Tikapur. “We don’t have any hatred towards the people from the Pahadi community. The tragic incident happened during the Tharuhat movement. The whole [Tharu] community should not be blamed for the incident. Victims must get justice.” He also called on political parties, administration and people to take necessary initiatives to maintain social harmony.

The victims, who lost their relatives and property in the incident, have claimed that they are deprived of justice even one year after the incident.

“Besides relief, the state should deliver justice to us. The Tikapur incident was a crime against humanity. The victims were brutally killed,” said Sharada Bohara, the widow of police inspector Keshav Bohara, who died in the incident. “We need social harmony as well as justice.”

The government had filed cases against 58 people in relation to the Tikapur incident. Of them, 34 are still at large.