Body of a 13-year-old girl, who was raped and murdered at Nimbukheda of Bhimdatta Municipality-18 in Kanchanpur district on Thursday, remained at the Mahakali Zonal Hospital for the third day on Sunday after her family and locals refused to receive the body until the culprits were booked.

Repeated talks between the administration and the victim's kin failed to reach an agreement after the relatives demanded strong action against the guilty, compensation for the bereaved family and a police beat in the Nimbukheda area. The irate relatives said they will receive the body only if the administration addresses their demand to establish a police beat in Nimbukheda area.

It has been learnt that the parents of the deceased girl had agreed to receive the body for final rites but were stopped by the locals. Chief District Officer Kumar Bahadur Khadka said family relatives had agreed to perform the final rites after the local administration agreed to book the culprits and establish the police beat as demanded. But a large crowd of locals came and stopped them.

Nirmala Panta, of Bhimdatta-2, was found dead at a roadside sugarcane field along Mahandranagar-Ultakham road on Thursday. She had left her home early that Thursday to meet her friend.

Police investigation showed the girl was murdered after rape.