A day after Sharad Kumar Gauchan, president of the Federation of Contractors’ Association Nepal (FCAN), was shot dead in broad daylight in the heart of the Capital, construction entrepreneurs said on Tuesday that they are worried about their safety, as many were receiving threats from unknown people.

FCAN General Secretary Ram Sharan Deuja said several members from the fraternity, including him, have received threatening calls since the event took place on Monday afternoon. 

Gauchan was shot dead by two unknown assailants near Om Shanti Chowk of the Shantinagar area when he was being driven to the FCAN office in Anamnagar via Prayag Marg in his car at around 3:15pm. The incident site is just a stone’s throw away from his home. 

Construction entrepreneur Jip Tshering Lama, who is close to the Nepali Congress party, said he had received two anonymous calls on Monday after Gauchan was shot dead. 

“We are devastated with this loss. Since the incident, many of my friends have received threatening calls. Unknown persons have made calls saying they would repeat what was done to Gauchan,” said Deuja. 

“We are yet to come out of the shock and such calls have made us a worried lot.”

FCAN representatives on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and apprised him of the threats they were receiving. 

Lama said the prime minister has assured that he would do the needful to provide security to the fraternity members and that he personally called security agencies to make arrangements to that end. 

“We informed the prime minister about the phone calls we have been receiving. He said he had talked to chiefs of security agencies to make arrangements for the security of the business fraternity,” he added. 

During the meeting, FCAN representatives also put forward their demands including declaring Gauchan a martyr, immediate arrest of those involved in the crime and guarantee of protection from the government. 

The FCAN during an emergency meeting called on Monday night decided to halt construction works for three days across the country to mourn the death of Gauchan and protest the broad daylight killing Besides, the FCAN has said that it would not take part in any tender-related activities for an indefinite period. It has also  requested the government to cancel such activities throughout the country. 

The irate builders have also given deadline until Wednesday evening to the government to find the perpetrators. 

The FCAN representatives and family members on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Kathmandu District Administration Office in Babarmahal before submitting a memorandum to Chief District Officer Kedarnath Sharma.

Meanwhile, Nepal Police has formed a seven-member team formed, led by a DIG, to investigate the incident. 

Police said they have arrested around 200 suspects from different parts of the Kathmandu Valley after the crime took place.  

“We have intensified search operations and checking at different places. The inquiry is going on with those held,” said AIG Jay Bahadur Chand. 

Police had arrested three persons on Monday evening, hours after Gauchan was shot dead, from Manmaiju. 

Ensure people’s right to life: NHRC

The National Human Right Commission of Nepal (NHRC) has condemned the killing of builder Sharad Kumar Gauchan in Kathmandu and called on the government to ensure people’s right to live. 

Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, the NHRC said the killing of Gauchan, who was the president of the Federation of Contractors’ Associations of Nepal, exposes how insecure public’s life is. The NHRC has urged the government to act swiftly to bring the perpetrators to book and take immediate measures to ensure people’s right to live in a safe environment.