A Bhutanese refugee wanted by authorities was shot at in a clash with police at Damak-15 in the district on Friday.

The clash erupted when Aita Singh Taluwa tried to attack police, who, acting on a tip off, had gone to arrest him. Taluwa, who was shot in the stomach, is undergoing treatment at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan. He was earlier taken to a hospital in Damak.

Superintendent of Police Mukunda Acharya said police had to fire two bullets when he tried to snatch a pistol from a policeman who had gone to arrest him. He said that one round was fired in the air while another shot hit Taluwa.

Police said Taluwa murdered one Dhan Bahadur Tamang of Morang around 40 days ago. Taluwa has also been accused of robbing a jewellery shop in Urlabari owned by Ram Thapa. 

Taluwa also faces a charge of looting Rs 1.3 million from a money changer in Kakadvitta, Jhapa, some weeks ago.

Most of the Bhutanese refugees camped in Jhapa and Morang districts in eastern Nepal have moved abroad under a resettlement plan of Western countries.

 Published on: 2 March 2014 | The Kathmandu Post