Godavari tempo incident dispute resolved, Dhanadevi receives Rs 5 lakh compensation

Dhangadhi: The dispute surrounding the incident in which a tempo was thrown from a cliff in Godavari, Kailali, during a campaign to remove forest encroachment has been resolved. The matter was settled after forest staff involved in the incident paid compensation to Dhanadevi Dhami, who had been selling retail goods by parking the tempo along the Bhimdatta Highway.

Following the compensation, Krishna Bahadur Bohara, Senior Division Forest Officer of the Sub-Division Forest Office Attariya, and Forest Guard Chetraj Phulara, who had been in custody of Kailali Police in connection with the incident, have been released.

The District Administration Office released them on bail of Rs 7,000 each. Along with compensation for Dhami’s tempo, police and the local administration had also demanded reconstruction of the house demolished by the Forest Office during the encroachment removal campaign.

After the forest staff paid Rs 500,000 as compensation, the dispute at the Area Police Office Malakheti was resolved.

It has been revealed that the tempo, bearing registration number Suppra 01001 Ha 3180, is registered in the name of Garima Bikas Bank.

Krishna Bahadur Thapa of Godavari had purchased the tempo through a loan from Garima Bikas Bank. Although the loan was repaid, the ownership had not been transferred, leaving the vehicle registered under the bank’s name. Dhami stated that she had purchased the tempo from a local resident of Godavari.

Following the incident, the encroachment removal campaign conducted by the Division Forest Office Dhangadhi had come under controversy.