People from Madi Municipality-6 of Chitwan, led by women rights activists, picketed the District Police Office and the District Hospital in Bharatpur on Wednesday, demanding a thorough investigation into the deaths of Deepika Sunar, 10, and Deepshila Pariyar, 11.

Deepika and Deepshila, who had gone for a picnic with their friends on Saturday, were found dead in a pond.

The girls’ families have claimed that they were raped and murdered. They have refused to receive the bodies, demanding the perpetrators be arrested and brought to justice. Superintendent of Police Dipak Thapa said they were questioning five suspects in connection to the incident.

Police have also sent the girls’ viscera samples to Kathmandu for analysis.