Siraha — Silence has engulfed the small Musahar settlement in Kurwa village-3, Dhangadhimai, Siraha, as the harsh winter morning mirrors the sorrow of 72-year-old Rameshi Saday. On Wednesday afternoon, sitting quietly in his courtyard, he recalled the moment when the rice he had painstakingly grown throughout the year turned to ashes overnight.
The Saday family of five has been unable to recover from the shock since Saturday, when an unknown group set fire to their granary. Nearly 14 quintals of rice were destroyed, erasing the family’s year-long effort to secure food for survival. The harvest, nurtured with sweat and hope, was also meant to provide sustenance for the family and contribute to their economic stability during the dry season.
“During the drought, we even paid extra for irrigation from a neighbor’s borewell. We had barely harvested the rice with my son and daughter-in-law’s help, and yet someone destroyed it overnight,” Rameshi Saday said, his voice breaking. “What are we to eat now? What wrong have we done? The rice we grew with our hard work deserved no such fate. The injustice to a poor family has been immense.”
According to his wife, Bhullidevi Saday, 130 sacks of rice were stored in a granary covered with tarpaulin. The family had planned to transport the rice home the next day, but all 16 quintals from their eight kattha field were lost to the fire.
The couple’s youngest son, Lale Saday, also expressed anguish over losing the harvest he had helped produce. “We had carefully stored 130 sacks in the granary in the evening, planning to transport them the next day. But by morning, nothing remained. How could anyone do this?” he asked, adding that the rice represented more than food—it was tied to straw, chaff, festivals, and his son’s education expenses.
Following the incident, the Saday family filed a police complaint against Ashok Kumar Ray, who runs a nearby liquor shop, and several other individuals. The District Police Office confirmed that investigations are underway. Assistant Superintendent of Police Ramesh Bahadur Pal said local police have conducted field inspections and are examining evidence. “Five individuals suspected in the case have been summoned to the local police office for questioning and are under daily reporting,” he stated.
Ward Chairperson of Dhangadhimai-3, Birendra Kumar Sah, condemned the act as an unforgivable crime against a marginalized Musahar family. He noted that a team led by Mayor Shiva Shankar Mahato inspected the site the following day and assured the victims of appropriate relief.
The Saday family, meanwhile, regards the incident not only as the loss of their harvest but as a cruel attack on the vulnerable. They are awaiting justice, immediate relief from authorities, and action against those responsible.
