INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, October 3
Journalist Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti has been receiving threats after he broke the news about alleged rape of Parliament
Secretariat employee Roshani Shahi by Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who has since stepped down as House speaker.
This undated image shows Ajaya
Babu Shiwakoti, editor at hamrakura.com
Photo courtesy: hamrakura.com
&I and my wife have been receiving calls from unidentified callers who intimidate us and enquire about the
news that I broke,& said Shiwakoti, the editor of hamrakura.com
&I&ve also been told that plans are being made to kidnap me and vandalise my office.&
Shiwakoti was the first journalist to interview Shahi
In a video interview on Monday, Shahi told Shiwakoti that Mahara had raped her and indiscriminately beaten her on Sunday night
Mahara stepped down from the post of House of Representatives speaker on Tuesday after the interview appeared on the online portal
&The news that I broke has offended some of the people and they are devising plans to launch an attack on me,& Shiwakoti said.
A high-level
security source recently told one of his relatives that someone by the name of Rameshwor Pandey, a former Maoist cadre, was on his way to
Kathmandu from his hometown at Birta Deurali of Koshi Pari in Kavre district to vandalise his office and kidnap him.
He has also received
information about another plan to vandalise his office and assault him
&I was told this plan was being discussed by five men with western Nepali accent at Baneshwor-based Red Mud Café on Tuesday,& Shiwakoti
&People I know also heard a group devising similar plans at another Baneshwor-based restaurant.&
Following avalanche of threats, Shiwakoti
has sought security from police
He went to Metropolitan Police Office at Rani Pokhari today at 3:30pm and asked its chief Deputy Inspector General Shailesh Thapa Kshetri to
ensure his safety.
&DIG Kshetri has promised to deploy adequate number of police personnel around my residence in Balaju and my office at
Kamal Pokhari,& Shiwakoti said
&I have also talked to heads of police stations at Balaju and Kamal Pokhari and they have assured me security.&
Deputy Superintendent of
Police Hobindra Bogati of Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, said he was in constant touch with Shiwakoti and his team would take prompt
action at any given time if he faces security threat.
Several district chapters of Nepal Press Union have expressed serious concern about
the safety of Shiwakoti and have warned they will launch protests if security is not guaranteed to the journalist and legal action is not
initiated against those who issued the threats.
Roshani, her husband part ways
The post Journo who broke ‘rape news& gets threats
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