Slaughtering Rights in Jhapa by Parwat Portel

Photo: Parwat Portel/ photo.circle

SLAUGHTERING RIGHTS IN JHAPA: Rafiqul Haque, 38, worked as a tractor driver and supported his family of seven. On Wednesday evening he was on his way back home when he saw that a large crowd had formed in Kamatoli Bajar. He was curious, so he went to check out what was going on.

That afternoon, Jhapa police had charged Tajamul Haque and Abdul Salam of Katlawari, Jhapa of slaughtering an ox. While Nepal is a secular state, cows and oxen slaughter is prohibited in Nepal’s Criminal Code. Rights activists have argued that laws banning slaughter infringe on the rights of the indigenous, Muslim, Dalit, and minority communities. In Jhapa on Wednesday, Haque and Alam were arrested and were in the process of being moved to the district headquarters when Jhapa locals in Kamatoli Bajar clashed with the police. When Rafiqul met the crowd, the Armed Police Force was trying to de-escalate.

The police fired several rounds into the air and four more rounds at the people. Rafiqul was hit by one of the bullets and immediately fell to the ground. Samsul Haque, Rafiqul’s brother witnessed this, “The bullet pierced through my brother’s back and there was so much blood,” says Samsul. Rafiqul was rushed to the hospital but died that evening. “My brother was killed for nothing,” says Samsul.

Text and Photos:Parwat Portel @photo.kvt7
Edit: Mallika Aryal @mikaness

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