On Wednesday, people of Shivaraj VDC in Kapilvastu held a protest against the brutal gang rape of a speech-impaired woman in the area. Claiming that the woman was raped by the Armed Police Force (APF) personnel from the Bindhbasini Battalion, the enraged villagers gathered near an APF checkpoint demanding stern action against the perpetrators.

The 35-year-old victim was allegedly tied with rope and raped by 10 men near the APF battalion on Sunday. In the wake of the incident, police arrested an APF constable after discovering some clothes and a soap bar from the crime scene. The discovered items are believed to belong to personnel from the APF. However, they have not arrested the rest of the accused.

It is shocking that such kinds of despicable crime keep happening in our society. What makes this episode all the more outrageous is that law enforcement personnel have been accused of it. The case demands serious attention and a swift and thorough investigation.

The police have assured the public that they will probe the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. However, given the police’s lacklustre response in the immediate aftermath of the crime, it is difficult for the villagers to be assured. The fact that people had to take to the streets to get the police serious about the case speaks volumes of the law enforcement bodies’ blatant apathy towards the incident.  

This is not the first time security personnel have been accused of rape. In 2011, a police constable was found to have robbed and raped Sita Rai, a migrant worker. The incident triggered the Occupy Baluwatar movement the following year that lasted for more than 100 days. It was a rare and moving episode that inspired public participation in a citizen’s movement against gender-based violence in the country.

Although rape is a monstrous crime, experts argue that national laws on rape are not harsh enough to deter perpetrators. The statute of limitations, the duration within which a case must be filed, on reporting rape cases has been extended from 35 to 180 days, but the country still requires stricter sentence for rape.

When protectors turn into criminals and not enough action is taken against them, public trust in security forces erodes. To prevent such erosion of trust, the law enforcement bodies should accord due seriousness to the case irrespective of the veracity of the allegations. Impunity should not be an option.