Rape cases have been on the rise in the last five years in Myagdi district. As per the district police office record, six rapes cases were filed at various police office in the district in 2012, eight in 2013, 12 in 2014, 10 in 2015, 13 in 2016.

In a recent instance of the heinous crime, a 15-year-old girl of Beni Municipality-5 was gang raped in Annapurna Rural Municipality-6 of Myagdi district.

Police said that Nabin and Arjun Pariyar of Annapurna Rural Municipality raped the girl who had gone to meet her relative with her 12-year-old brother at around 9 pm on Monday.

According to Annapurna Rural Municipality-6 ward Chairman Krishna Prasad Baruwal, the victim had reached Pokhare on foot after the Beni-Jomsom road section was obstructed by a landslide. Later, they boarded a tractor to reach their relative’s home.

After the victim got off from the tractor the Pariyar duo chased her for half-an-hour and forcibly took her to a nearby stream and raped her. The victim’s brother, however, managed to save his life.

Police have arrested the accused and started an investigation.

The victim has been kept at the women and children cell of Nepal police after carrying out medical test at the District Hospital.

“The girl had fallen prey to gang rape. We have detained the accused and started the investigation,” DSP Bir Bahadur Buda, Chief at the District Police Office said, adding, “We have recorded the statement of the accused. It has been seen that she had been raped time and again.”

Along with the girl, 4 incidents of rape have been reported in the district in the first two months of the fiscal year 2018/2019.

In other instances, a woman in Beni Municipality-1, a child and a woman in Mangala Rural Municipality-1 and a girl in Annapurna-6  were raped in the fiscal year 2018/19.

Likewise, a 53-year-old man of Malika Rural Municipality-5 raped his 12-year-old daughter in the third week of August.  Police arrested the man following the incident. According to district police and the office of attorney general, police while recording the statement found that the man had raped his daughter in the past as well.

According to Criminal Code 2017, a person found guilty of incest rape will be jailed for 25 years and a person involved in rape/ gang rape will be sentenced to 16-20 years in prison.

Similarly, a case of an 11-year-old girl raped in Mangala Rural Municipality-1 is pending the court.

Some people are threatening the child and her parents to change the statement, the victim’s mother said. 

“We will give you the hush money. Change the statement otherwise your family will be kicked out of this village.” the victim’s mother said at the office of attorney general. “We have been facing this kind of harassment,” she added.

At least 18 girls and child have been raped by their relatives in the district in the fiscal year 2018/19.

According to the court’s record, among the 18 rape cases, guilty of five cases are still at large. Defendants of seven cases have been acquitted and the accused of six cases have been remanded to police custody.

Rape cases have been increasing in the last five years in Myagdi district and it has been learnt that six rapes cases in 2012, eight in 2013, 12 in 2014, 10 in 2015, 13 in 2016 have been field in the police office. All the guilty of the cases have already been arrested.

According to the District Court’s record, guilty of 13 cases out of 18 are on the run. The accused of five remaining cases have been remanded to police custody.

“Cases of rape are increasing every day. Most the victims are raped by their relatives,” DSP Buda said, adding, “Most of the victims are under the age of 25 and the accused are over the age of 45-50.”