E/CN.4/1994/31 page 87 409. On 23 November 1993 the Government replied that Mr. Bishwokarma had been beaten by local residents before being brought to the police station. After inquiries were made he was allowed to return home. A few days later his corpse was found at the Pokharithok market in Gorkha. The post mortem report did not indicate beating or torture as the cause of death. However, the investigation was still under way. 410. Bhim Bahadur Gurung was arrested in the same circumstances as Purna Bahadur. At the DPO he was reportedly boxed on the ears, pulled by the hair and kicked and punched in the face and abdomen. It was also alleged that he was forced to sit in the kukhura (chicken) position, when the victim’s hands are loosely tied behind the back with a rope, then brought forward under the thighs, with the legs bent at the knee and with the head then being pushed forward between the legs and under the rope tying the hands. After being forced into this position, he was beaten for about half an hour. He was released 24 days later, reportedly without charge and without having appeared before a court, having been held incommunicado throughout his detention. 411. Suya Bahadur Rana was arrested on 3 November 1992 in the same circumstances as Purna Bahadur and kept incommunicado at the DPO for 22 days. He was reportedly taken to the police inspector’s office, forced into the kukhura position and beaten on the soles of the feet, ankles, thighs and arms on several occasions during his detention. He was also forced to jump up and down when his feet were painfully raw from beatings. A medical examination carried out after his release indicated injuries consistent with the alleged torture. On 23 November 1993 the Government replied that the allegations were false. 412. Pratap Bishwokarma was arrested on 9 November 1992 in the same circumstances as the three previous persons and taken to the Gorkha DPO. He was allegedly beaten on the ankles with sticks, forced into the kukhura position and beaten on the soles of the feet for about half an hour, after which he was made to jump up and down on his wounded feet. At the time of his release, after 17 days in incommunicado detention, the police reportedly threatened to rearrest him if he disclosed that he had been tortured. On 23 November 1993 the Government replied that the allegations were false. 413. Dewan Singh Gurung was arrested on 6 November 1992, like the previous four persons. According to the reports, he was forced into the kukhura position and beaten on the soles of the feet with a rough stick. Thereafter he was beaten all over the body; and on the sixth day, he was stripped naked and beaten for 10 minutes with sisnu dipped in water. He was reportedly also punched in the abdomen, and made to jump up and down until he was unable to stand. He was released after 13 days in incommunicado detention. 414. Sanu Maya Bishwokarma was incriminated by evidence given under torture by her husband Purna Bishwokarma. She was arrested on 15 November and was held incommunicado for one week. She was reportedly beaten during and after arrest, both with sticks and sisnu, and was held by the hair and lifted into the air.