The Baglung District Court has sentenced 15 youths and a boy to life imprisonment on charge of murdering two youths in a clash during Holi celebrations in Badigad Rural Municipality-10 two years ago.

The single bench of judge Diwakar Bhatta on Tuesday issued a verdict to that effect. According to Gangaram Sapkota, a legal officer at the court, the convicts were sentenced to jail for 25 years as per clause 177 (2) of the criminal code. Fourteen of the convicts were in judicial custody after the incident on March 28, 2021.

Two men—Prakash Kunwar, 36, and Dipak Pariyar, 34, of Nisikhola Rural Municipality-7 in Balgung—had died in the clash that took place at Baldedhuri, which lies in the border of Baglung, Gulmi and Pyuthan districts. The bodies of the deceased were found on a cliff almost 400 metres below the incident site.

A nasty clash had ensued over a dispute of smearing vermilion powder to a local woman during the fair organised on Holi, a Hindu festival of colours.

Police investigation showed that Kunwar and Pariyar were murdered by the youths by pushing them off a cliff.

Following the investigation, the District Police Office filed a charge sheet against 16 people on April 25, 2021.

The individuals sentenced for life imprisonment are Resham Budhamagar, Bheshraj Budha, Milan Budha Magar, Jhan Bahadur Budha, Sam Bahadur Budha, Tejendra Chhantyal, Suman Budha, Surya Budha, Kumar Chhantyal, Tirtharaj Budha, Bimal Budha, Rupesh Budha Magar, Hasta Bahadur Budha, Raju Budha and Arpan Budha.

The district court ordered another convict Raj Kumar Gharti to a child reform centre as he was 17 when the crime was committed.

All the convicts are from ward 10 of Badigad Rural Municipality.

Senior advocate Kaji Gaunle Shrestha said the district court gave its verdict as per the demand of the plaintiff and the convicts can appeal against the district court’s verdict in the High Court.