The five men named above were arrested by soldiers on 15 March, in an outlying district of Kathmandu. One of them was later found shot dead, and appeared to have been tortured. The other four are at grave risk of torture or death in custody. Their whereabouts are now unknown.

Around 20 soldiers arrived at Saraswoti Village, in Tokha, Kathmandu at 7.30pm. They arrested the five men in differerent locations in the village. The five were apparently suspected members of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist), which declared a "people's war" on the government six years ago. Relatives who made inquiries at the Tokha Army Camp were told that the men were not in custody there.

Police brought the body of Kancha Dangol to Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for a post-mortem examination on 18 March. He appeared to have been severely tortured, and had been shot through the head.

On 20 March a team of human rights organizations, including a representative of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), conducted a fact-finding mission to the village and concluded that Kancha Dangol had been taken into custody with four others, tortured and then shot dead.

Relatives have appealed to the NHRC to conduct a formal investigation into the alleged death in custody of Kancha Dangol and the whereabouts of the other four men. Lawyers have lodged a habeas corpus petition on behalf of the four.

Sankha Narayan Dangol and Narayan Das Dangol werereleased on 22 March.

Mankaji Manandhar and Suraj Dangol werereleased on 29 May.

Read a summary report of human rights investigators including medical personnel and a member of the National Human Rights Commission on the killing of Nepali Congress supporter Kancha Dangol in custody.