Police clueless about Thamel shooting

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: Even after six days of the Thamel shooting, in which a monk was injured, police are still in the dark as to who was (were) involved in the incident.

A gang of unidentified gunmen had shot at Nima Gyaljen Lama, a monk, in a busy traffic junction of Tridevimarg, Thamel, leaving him injured.

The gunmen fired two shots at him in point-blank range in an apparent robbery bid as Lama refused to surrender his handbag and tried to retaliate. The shooters had managed to make off with Rs 100,000, Euro 900, and Lama’s wallet.

Inspector Krishna Prasad Koirala, an investigating official at Metropolitan Police Crime Division said the police were yet to establish the identification and description of the armed robbers. “We are interrogating officials at Sundarijal Monastery where the victim works and eyewitnesses as part of investigation,” he informed. “The police are trying to trace the persons behind serving a tip-off to them that Lama was arriving in Thamel with the cash.”

The police have also interrogated Lama who is undergoing treatment in Bir Hospital. A police official quoted Lama as saying that he had not received any kind of threats. “I cannot remember even their description and physical features as they suddenly fell upon me, snatched my bag and shot at me. I don’t know what happened thereafter,” Lama, who is also an accountant of the monastery, told the officials. He had received two bullets in the stomach. The police have not detained anyone in connection with the incident. The officials are also seeking help of an unidentified tourist who according to an eyewitness had filmed the incident in his movie camera.