Part II: Rautahat Brick Kiln Massacre

In 2017, Alam won in the first federal election from the Nepali Congress, while Nepal was going through a red wave a powerful coalition of two communist parties (which later unified) aligned with a fringe ethnic party that also had its roots in the two large communist parties creating a majority of two-thirds.   

In 2018, the country went through an unsolved rape and murder case of Nirmala Pant, and the Communist Prime Minister in a TV program defended Bam sister’s who was seen in connection to the tragedy of Nirmala Pant and suffered a brutal backlash. 

The government suffered from various internal and external challenges and the Alam’s case was a perfect component, revealing the heinous crime of its political opponent which could take advantage of the government’s sluggishness. 

On April 2008 before the election eyewitness, Mohammad Aftab Alam was seen packing the injured persons in sacks, dumping their bodies in a brick kiln fire, and killing them. 

On May 29, 2012, the Supreme Court revoked the decision of OAG and ordered a proper investigation. 

The court order remained neglected against a powerful politician and petitioners filed a complaint with the Judgement Execution Directorate, in March 2019; seven months later on October 13, 2019, Aftab Alam was arrested the month later Office of the Attorney General decided to pursue a criminal case against Alam and five other suspects.

On November 4, 2019, the Rautahat District Court started recording statements of Aftab Alam a suspended lawmaker of the Nepali Congress. Ten other accused who are absconding are- Mohammad Mahatab Alam, Mohammad Mobin Alam, Shekh Bhadai, Shekh Seraj, Shekh Fajale Haq, Sagir Alam, Shekh Malakar, Gauri Shankar Sah, Badri Sahani and Mukti Sah. 

The 800-page investigation recommended imprisonment until death or life imprisonment along with confiscation of Alam’s property on the charge of murder. 

On November 2019, Gauri Shankar Ram Chamar, a victim of the brick kiln massacre appealed for his security when he stated Alam’s henchmen abducted him and took him captive for four days to change the statement he had recorded in court. 

He was also offered money to change his statement or else he will be killed. Alam also tried to make Amina Khatun the widow of Mohammed Osi Akhtar (a local killed in the bomb blast) change her statement to file stating that Osi was working abroad in exchange for money. 

She later backtracked after media reported she had already received an official death certificate for her late husband. Osi Akhtar’s mother Ruksana was killed by an unidentified group after she complained and demanded Alam and others involved in the death of her son in the bomb blast. 

On November 15, 2019, Rautahat District Court sent Alam to jail. Alam continuously wrote writ petitions for bail but such effort went in vain.

In May 2020 police raided Aftab’s house to search for his brother Mahatab Alam another alleged perpetrator of the incident. The Mayor of Rajpur Municipality, Sheikh Shakil condemned the unilateral impromptu raid that disturbed the Alam family and the community. 

This revealed the structure of Alam’s influence who is one of few people who have been apprehended and suffered a strong public backlash. It took more than a decade to bring him to justice and only when the situation was unfavorable to him and favorable to the government. 

Nepal has a bad score on the democracy index, it should be noted that the rotation of power did play a role in bringing a better and more transparent society. It is also questionable in the democratic practice where voters can be threatened or bribed, a story that has layers of complexities.