Narayan Pokharel

Who was Narayan Pokharel?

Narayan Prasad Pokharel was president of the Nepal branch of the World Hindu Federation. He was killed by gunfire while attending a religious festival after being attacked by six gunmen in Dudrakshya village, Rupandehi District, Nepal about 300 kilometers west of Kathmandu.

Maoist rebels perpetrated the killing. The killers descended on the festival in motorcycles at dawn and shot Pokharel nine times as he stood outside the guest house where he was staying.

The Maoists issued a statement condemning Pokharel for "indulging in sexual exploitation, amassing property illegally, misusing the name of Dalits and trying to garner popular support in favour of monarchy". The killing was reportedly carried out by the Dalit Mukti Morcha, an underground, banned organisation affiliated to the Maoists whose members are mostly Dalits, the Untouchables at the bottom of traditional Hindu caste-system. The Maoist rebels have been waging a violent campaign to topple the Hindu monarchy.

The conservative World Hindu Federation is headquartered in India and has branches in many countries throughout the world.

Narayan Pokharel is survived by his two wives and ten children.