"If we don't donate, we will break the car" - threat to industrialists, question on the investment environment of Rupandehi

Rupandehi, 05 June. At a time when security concerns are increasing among industrialists in Rupandehi recently, Chairman of Chaitanya RMC and Construction Services Pvt. Ltd. Bharat Kumar Pokharel has announced that he has received threats asking for donations. Addressing a press conference in Bhairahawa on Monday, he said that in the name of the Central Committee of Nepal Communist Party (Maoist), donations have been requested from the industry and if the funds are not given, they have been warned to vandalize the vehicles of the industry.

According to Pokharel, a letter was sent in the name of "Chaitanya Readymix Concrete Pvt Ltd" requesting financial assistance. He said that after that, he called repeatedly from different numbers and pressured him to provide the money. He claimed that a person who identified himself as Surendra Chhetri had threatened to break up the vehicles of the industry if the donation was not made by Tuesday. "Collecting donations through fear, threats and pressure is not acceptable even in a democratic system," Pokharel said. He mentioned that such activities have created panic among industrialists and asked the government and security agencies to be active to ensure the rule of law.

District Police Office Rupandehi Superintendent of Police Janak Bahadur Shahi has said that verbal information about the incident has been received and the search for the accused is underway. When Rupandehi is becoming the main center of industrial activity, after incidents of threats against industrialists started to be publicized, questions about the investment environment and business security have started to be raised here.