Five Badi women, who were displaced from Dhadhawar Village, have demanded the local administration for their security and immediate rehabilitation in Gulariya, the district headquarters of Bardiya. One of the displaced women, Sundari Badi, informed the Post that the villagers chased them away accusing them of being involved in prostitution. Sundari used to operate a small shop at Baidi Chowk. “Villagers vandalised our shop and forced us out of the village,” said Sundari. The victims, who are currently staying in their relative’s home, have demanded the District Administration Office to punish the guilty and provide compensation to them.

However, villagers claimed that they were driven away as they had set shop by encroaching upon the road. Devendra Bista, a local, said around a dozen shops had been evicted from the area. “Sundari Badi is involved in prostitution with some other women there,” said Bista. Earlier, the villagers had complained about the rise in immoral activities in Baidi Chowk. Another local Dipak Thapa said Badi women had manhandled them during the incident. Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Bharat Bohara said Badi women have not driven away from the area as the villagers had evicted the encroached land. “The shops belonging to other communities were also removed from the area,” Bohara clarified.