Only 2 of those involved in public vandalism were charged with indecent behavior.
After the case was not filed against the main accused involved in the vandalism of the Tribhuvan University Vice-Chancellor's office, questions have been raised about the police-administrative investigation. After two people who were arrested on the charges of vandalism were released within two days, the officials of the University expressed their displeasure saying that the police and the administration had beaten the culprits.
Vice-Chancellor Khadg KC said that after the main culprits were not prosecuted and were arrested, they were released on 10,000 bail in the indecent behavior case.
"We have requested a serious review on behalf of the university so that whoever is involved in the vandalism should be prosecuted," he said. In response, he said that Prime Minister Oli has instructed Home Minister Ramesh Ukhar to take legal action against those who commit vandalism and violent activities. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the petition given by the university demanding peace and security has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In the discussion held with the officials of the university on Monday at Singha Darbar, Prime Minister Oli informed that whoever was involved in the vandalism should not get immunity.
The vice chancellor's office was vandalized on 14th of June with the involvement of the elected officials of Swaviyu. The police have not filed a case against Madanraj Upadhyay and Bhuvan Ojha, the main accused involved in the incident. They are Swaviyu officers of Shankardev Campus and workers of the ruling Navy Sangh.
According to a student involved in the vandalism, Upadhyay and Ojha invited other members of the union to reach the Vice-Chancellor's office that day. CCTV footage of them involved in vandalism has also been released. Trivi filed a complaint to prosecute those involved in the vandalism, but the police have been criticized for showing sympathy for the accused who were protected by the home administration.
University officials have been conducting services from outside Kirtipur for 21 days due to insecurity and the lockdown of the Navy. Kathmandu Police Chief Vishwa Adhikari claimed that only the main accused was prosecuted.
'After watching the CCTV footage of the incident, only the two main accused have been completed and handed over to the district administration office,' he said. Although they were tried for indecent behavior with a deadline of five days, they were released on the second day on Thursday on a bond of 10/10,000. Karki Sanothimi is the campus secretary of SWAVIU, while Kunwar Shankardeva is an activist of NAVISANGH. Indecent behavior offense is punishable by less than one year and the case is handled by the Chief District Officer. While the Criminal Code provides that damage to public property can be punished with 1 year imprisonment or a fine of 10,000 rupees or both.
On June 14, the president, secretary and other members of SWUU, who were elected by the union, ransacked the vice-chancellor's office and locked the office. The rector and registrar offices have also been locked. A group of 15/20 people who reached the Vice-Chancellor's office with the demand to reopen the undergraduate admissions, which was closed in January, vandalized in the presence of the police. Since that day, Vice Chancellor KC, Rector Duvinand Dhakal and Registrar Kedar Rizal have not been able to go to the office. Due to the lockdown in the office, the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar have been doing administrative work at the Institute of Engineering Studies in Pulchok. Executive council and other meetings are also held there.
Even though vandalism incidents were happening repeatedly in universities and campuses by students, the culprits were getting immunity due to political patronage. This time, the Executive Council of Tertiary University filed a complaint with the Police Circle Kirtipur to take action against those who vandalized public property. But the Circle had written to the University saying that Kitani Jaheri was necessary. On June 20, the circle had written to the university to disclose the name, surname, and nationality. Even before that, Trivi also attached the statement signed by those involved in the vandalism to the complaint.
In addition to the case registered and arrested in the case of vandalism, Trivi reported that Gajendra Bam, Savin Bhatt, Sonu Sah, Kishore Thapa and Bhojraj of the Sankardev campus were also involved. Similarly, Public Youth Campus SWIU President Santosh Shrestha, Saraswati Campus SWIU President Muskanraj Gautam, Bhaktapur Campus SWIU President Pukar Parajuli were involved in vandalism. Apart from Parajuli, other officials are elected in the Swaviyu elections held in 2079. Kailashkut Multipurpose Campus Swaviyu President Murari Gautam, Sanothimi Campus Rajesh Timilsina, Kantipur College Anshu Phuyal, Kavre Multipurpose Campus Rohit Parajuli were also involved in vandalizing the Vice Chancellor's office, according to Trivi. Earlier in February, when a group of students vandalized the Rector's office, no action could be taken due to the neglect of the home administration.
