A group of drunken Nepal Army (NA) personnel allegedly went berserk at Baghauda Village Development Committee (VDC) 5 in the district on Monday night.
The inebriated soldiers from the Chitwan National Park-based Simari Post stormed the village and beat 22 people, including Lalita Chaudhary, a nursing mother, victims charged.
Chaudhary is undergoing treatment at the Bharatpur-based Chitwan District Hospital. The villagers took six rowdy soldiers under control and handed them over to the Madi Area Police Post. Demanding tough action against the guilty, locals encircled the police.
According to the locals, three army men came to the village on Monday evening to charge cell phones. After drinking alcohol, they blamed village youths for not showing them respect and tried to beat them.
"As the villagers gathered for retaliation, the army men went to the barracks, perhaps to call friends," the police said. Naradmani Poudel, a local, said 22 people were injured as around a dozen drunken soldiers started beating them.
"Drunk under the table, the soldiers thrashed whoever they came across in the village. They also vandalised our houses and sheds," said Saraswoti Mahato, a victim.
As the soldiers' act sparked widespread condemnation, a NA team from the Kasara Barracks reached the Madi police post for discussions with the victims. However, the victims said they would sit for talks only in the presence of Tikendra Chaudhary, chairman of the Tharu Welfare Council's Chitwan chapter
