Two engineers of the Divisional Road Office were freed from Malumela VDC in Bajhang on Wednesday after 22 hours.

Engineer Surendra Nepal and assistant engineer Prakash Shresah were detained at around 3pm on Tuesday by the enraged landslide victims over the delay in relief and relocation process. The engineers were in the area to conduct a road survey. 

The local people took the engineers under control and later handed them over to police in Malumela. The villagers picketed the police post demanding that the engineers be detained until the concerned authorities assured them of addressing their demands. Local Hari Narayan Regmi said the engineers were released after the divisional chief assured them of relief after damage assessment and to initiate the relocation process.

The landslides triggered by the construction of Jadar-Koiralakot track have destroyed eight houses in the area. In the rainy season, stones roll down the hills overlooking the settlement, leaving 25 households in the settlement at risk. The villagers demanded the local administration manage for their relocation and provide compensation. “We are not against development works. The Divisional Road Office paid no heed even as we are about to be displaced by the continuous landslides triggered by the track construction. We detained them [engineers] to exert pressure on the concerned authorities to address our demands,” said Regmi. The landslides have also damaged the water project and irrigation canal in Aambagar.