Women in Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur, continued their sit-in protest at Madan Chowk for the third consecutive day on Monday, demanding that the government release the investigation report on rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant.

They have accused the government of trying to withhold the truth from public by not releasing the report prepared by a high-level inquiry panel.

“What is the reason behind the government’s reluctance to share the findings of the investigation panel? It has been more than two months since Nirmala was murdered in a gruesome manner. We demand answer,” said Mina Bhandari, who is leading the protest.

The body of Nirmala was discovered in a sugar cane field on July 27, a day after she was reported missing. She had been raped and murdered.

More than two months have passed since the incident, but the authorities have failed to solve the crime.

The report of the inquiry panel, which was submitted to the Home Ministry on September 25, remains classified.

Bhandari warned of intensifying their protest if the report is not released.   

“We are holding talks with the concerned stakeholders about our future move. Until we come up with a new protest plan, our sit-in will continue,” she said.

Educational institutions closed

Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Student Union closed all educational institutions in Mahendranagar on Monday to protest the delay in the investigation of Nirmala’s rape and murder.

NSU leader Keshav Joshi said they will continue the protest until the perpetrators are brought to justice. The student body has called for a general strike in Kanchanpur district on Tuesday.

Woman raped in Khotang

KHOTANG: A woman was raped at Chapleti forest in Jantedhunga Rural Municipality-2, Khotang, on Friday, police said on Monday. The accused, Hari Bahadur Khadka, is at large. In another incident, police have arrested a 22-year-old man from Sakela Rural Municipality-1 in an attempted rape case. The suspect is accused of trying to rape a young woman from Ratanchha in Sakela-2. In Tehrathum district, police have arrested a man who was on the run for the past one year after raping a minor girl. Shankar Thapa, 54, of Laligurans Municipality-3 was arrested from Kathmandu on Friday. (PR)

17-year-old girl assaulted in Doti

DOTI: Police arrested a man on charge of raping a 17-year-old girl in Doti district. According to the police statement, Yogendra Balayar of Shikhar Municipality-6 gave the teenager a false promise of marriage and raped her repeatedly. DSP Lal Bahadur Dhami said Balayar was arrested from Bajhang and was brought to Doti district on Sunday. (PR)