April 19, Siraha – The case filed against Siraha Municipality Mayor Naveen Kumar Yadav for misconduct has been reclassified as an assault charge during the ongoing investigation. The change followed hospital confirmation that the office assistant, 50-year-old Ramsharan Yadav, suffered broken ribs due to the assault, police reported. The incident occurred on March 6 when the mayor allegedly verbally abused and physically attacked Ramsharan Yadav with kicks and punches while he was taking attendance in the morning.
Following the incident, on March 11, the Siraha District Police Office had issued an arrest warrant against Mayor Yadav and another employee involved in the assault, Rohit Mestri, under the charge of misconduct. While Mestri has been arrested, Mayor Yadav remains at large and is currently being sought, according to Siraha Police spokesperson Ramesh Bahadur Pal. Police stated that with the case now reclassified as assault, it will proceed through the courts instead of the District Administration Office, where misconduct cases were previously handled.
Meanwhile, there have been disputes among locals and relatives regarding why the mayor has not been arrested. Ram Kumar Yadav alleged collusion between the police and administration, saying that while ordinary citizens are immediately arrested upon filing cases, it is suspicious that the mayor has not been apprehended despite the change in charges. “Ordinary people are arrested promptly, but the mayor’s failure to be arrested may indicate police complicity,” he asserted.
