Like every other day, Brihaspati Sada from Dhanusha district of Madhes province in Nepal left for work. But this time, he did not return.

Brihaspati had left for work hungry. It was his pay day and he did not want to get late for work. Mahajan owed him a good pending amount from the last many days, as well. 

The Mahajan himself showed up at Brihaspati’s home that scorching afternoon. “Your husband has collapsed,” he told Jasiya. 

When the mother and her children rushed to the field, they found Brihaspati dead. His body was later taken to Janakpur for autopsy.

The family has not received the autopsy report even after 15 days. “We know they will tell us he died of alcohol abuse or a chronic condition,” Jasiya tells Naya Patrika, “but he was absolutely fine. This is a murder.”

Brihaspati worked as a bonded farmer at Mahajan Sakal Yadav’s field. That was how he looked after his big family of 14. 

At least 20 people from the Madhesi Musahar community die under such circumstances but the government does not take these issues seriously, Nepal National Musahar Association states. 

Millions of money is spent annually to facelift the Hindu temples in Dhanusa district but the plight of Dalits remain unaddressed.