Rebels rob family, bar from leaving village BY PREM NEPALI MIJURE, KASKI, Sept 19 - After robbing all the belongings of a family, Maoists have also barred its members from leaving the village. The house of Min Bahadur Gurung of Gahatebeshi, Mijure-8, was robbed by Maoists on July 6 this year. Family members have not been allowed to leave the village ever since. Gurung is the former Panchayat chief of the village and was a prisoner of war during the Second World War. The family became a Maoist target after Gurung's son Sujan alias Raju, who formerly served with the Maoists, defected. Sujan left the rebel outfit after being released from the captivity of security forces. He had been captured by security forces during a battle in Pasgaon, Lamjung. The family comprising 14 members is surviving on the support of villagers and relatives. Maoists robbed and barred them from leaving the village on charges of corruption, exploitation, repression and espionage. The family members who are under strict vigilance of Maoists, do not openly talk about their plight fearing retribution. There is an 80-year-old person, four women and five children in the family. "They even took clothes of my nine-month-old granddaughter," Gurung said. "They have said this is their action, and have threatened to kill us if we tell anyone." Some 100 Maoists, including two dozen armed ones, had robbed food grains, kitchen utensils, clothes, jewelry, money and a suitcase, including other items from the house, eyewitnesses said. "In the past, villagers used to borrow kitchen utensils from the Gurung family whenever there was a feast," said Badi Gurung, a neighbor. "Today, the family is borrowing from villagers." The group looted Rs 1.3 million received by Gurung as compensation for being a prisoner during the Second World War as well as earnings of his sons Arjun and Roop Bahadur who worked as laborers in the Gulf for twelve and four years respectively. Family members do not discuss details of the losses with outsiders. "They took away everything they got hold of," a family member said. Among the robbers were Maoist cadre Kesh Bahadur B K, Bijaya, Nischal, and Bishnu BK among others, a villager said. Before the robbery, Maoists had been using the house as shelter. Gurung's son Sujan had joined the rebel outfit during that period. Posted on: 2006-09-18 21:42:27 (Server Time)