KATHMANDU, July 12: The government, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and the family of Ganesh Nepali, the 25-year-old man from Mugu who died after attempting self-immolation outside the Department of Passports in Tripureshwor, have reached a nine-point agreement over the incident.
The agreement was signed on Sunday following talks held at the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, in the presence of Chief District Officer Ishwar Raj Paudel.
With the agreement in place, Nepali's family has agreed to proceed with the postmortem examination and receive his body, which had remained at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, for the past three days.
According to the agreement, the government will form an independent investigation committee under the leadership of a former judge to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry into the incident. The committee has been tasked with submitting its report to the government within seven days of its formation.
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The agreement also states that a decision on declaring Nepali a martyr will be taken in accordance with existing laws, previous practices and the recommendations of the investigation committee.
Similarly, the District Administration Office will write to KMC requesting the suspension of the metropolitan police personnel deployed at the frontline on the day of the incident until the investigation committee submits its report.
KMC has also agreed to ensure employment for Nepali's widow, Ekmaya Nepali, based on her qualifications and capabilities through a decision of its executive meeting.
The metropolitan city will bear the full cost of the couple's daughter's education up to higher education, with necessary coordination from the concerned government agencies.
Under the agreement, KMC will also provide appropriate financial relief to the bereaved family and bear all expenses related to funeral rites and final rites in Kathmandu.
The Ministry of Health and Food Safety will arrange health insurance coverage for Nepali's immediate family members.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the government by Chief District Officer Paudel and KMC Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain. On behalf of the victim's family, the agreement was signed by Nepali's widow Ekmaya Nepali, his father Chine Nepali, mother Sauri Nepali, elder brother Madan Nepali, younger sister Sundari Nepali and members of the victims' negotiation team.
Nepali, a resident of Jabaldhara in Soru Rural Municipality-1 of Mugu district who worked as a ride-sharing driver in Kathmandu, attempted self-immolation on July 10 following a dispute with metropolitan police over parking and the locking of his motorcycle wheel.
He sustained critical burn injuries and died the following day while undergoing treatment at the Burn Unit of Bir Hospital.
