KATHMANDU: The Martyrs’ Week has commenced from today.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has been organizing various programs commemorating the four martyrs who laid down their lives in the struggle against the autocratic Rana oligarchy for ushering in democracy and civic rights in the country 70 years ago.

In this connection on the first day of the Martyrs’ Week, the KMC organized a memorial assembly at Teku Machali where Shukraraj Shastri was hanged from a tree by the Rana rulers on sedition charge during the country’s first civic revolution. Tributes were paid to the martyr on the occasion.

A memorial was erected at the place commemorating the martyr Shastri.

Addressing the memorial assembly, KMC mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya said republic has become successful in Nepal due to the contribution of the martyrs who laid down their lives for reinstating the civic rights.

Shukraraj Shastri was given a death sentence on Magh 10, 1997 BS at Teku Machali.

Under the Martyrs’ Week commemorations, KMC will organize condolence assembly separately at the places where each of the four martyrs got martyrdom.

Accordingly, a program would be held at 8 am on January 26 at Siphal where Dharma Bhakta Mathema got martyrdom while another memorial program would be held at 8 am on January 28 at Shova Bhagawati where Ganga Lal Shrestha and Dasharath Chand attained martyrdom.

The Martyrs’ Week would be concluded on January 29 by organising a morning procession accompanied by a horse-drawn carriage carrying big portraits of the four martyrs and the musical bands of Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

The procession will start from the Shanti Batika at Ratna Park and proceed towards the Martyrs Memorial at Lainchaur. A tribute-paying function will be held at Lainchaur.

The Prime Minister, the government ministers, high-ranking government officials and people’s representatives will attend the function. Programs under the Martyrs’ Week are being held under the coordination of KMC since 2012 BS.