DHARAN, DEC 17 - A boy of eight sustained serious injuries when the plain-cloth security personnel opened fire targeting at a suspected Maoist in the Madheli VDC-3 on Tuesday morning.
Akash Sharma, a student at the Thalaha Primary School and the son of a rickshaw-puller Govinda Sharma, received a bullet wound in his neck while doing his toiletry in the open field near his house.
He was rushed to the B P Koirala Memorial Hospital in Dharan where doctors said his condition was very critical.
According to Bhola Nanda Sharma, an eye-witness to the incident, three local people, doing toiletry at the canal, ran away when they noticed army with weapons in unidentified clothes.
The army, then ordered Asha Ram Sharma, one of the fleeing people, to halt but he did not. "So the army shot at him, which hit Akash instead," Bhola Nanada said.
Landless Govinda has been earning his living by pulling a rickshaw on lease for the last 15 years. Security personnel, themselves in action against the rebels, had helped rush the injured boy to the hospital and had also provided the parents with Rs. 700 for expenses.
Two Maoists were also killed during the shootout and security officials identified them as Chandra Pariyar, 27, of Dudhauli in Sindhuli and Ram Prasad Gautam of Morang.
Another man, Pramod Rajghat of Madheli, was arrested by government forces.
Meanwhile the RNA spokesperson Col Deepak Gurung said that the boy was wounded in a cross-fire. "However, it could not be ascertained whose bullet hurt the boy," he said, assuring that the army will investigate into the incident.Posted on: 2003-12-18 04:22

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