Another high-level panel formed to probe into Nirmala’s murder

KATHMANDU, Sept 17: Nepal Police has formed a high-powered committee in leadership of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Nepal Police Dhiru Basnyat to look into the murder case of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta of Kanchanpur.

Panta was raped and murdered on July 26. Her body was found in a sugarcane field the next day.

According to Nepal Police Spokesperson Shailesh Thapa Chetrri, the committee comprises Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) Uttam Raj Subedi and Niraj Bahadur Shahi and persons from other walks of life besides DIG Basnet.

Spokesperson Chettri shared that the high-powered committee will also probe the roles of the police personnel suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Nirmala Panta’s case and roles of the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, in investigating the murder case.

Meanwhile, human rights activists, neighbours of Nirmala Panta and lawmakers have demanded the identification of the culprits and demanded stern action against those involved.

Organizing a press meet on Sunday, they voiced their concerns over the growing cases of violence against women and the lax investigation of the police in identifying the culprits.

Member of National Human Rights Commission Sudeep Pathak said that the Commission’s regional office at Dhangadi was mobilized and the requests were made with the concerned local authorities to ensure the security to Nirmala’s parents.

A team led by Spokesperson of the Commission Mohana Ansari was already dispatched to Kanchanpur for the same.

Pathak shared that a total of 1,083 cases of rape and murder were recorded in the police in 2074 BS and opined that status of human rights in the country was deteriorating and there were enough base to raise questions over the police administration.

Likewise, Rastriya Janata Party leader Laxman Lal Karna lamented that the government was not being able to arrest the culprits yet and the security of the people was at stake.

Similarly, Member of House of Representative representing Kanchanpur Dr Deepak Prakash Bhatta stressed on the need for giving stern action to the culprits. He also urged the media persons not to disseminate any news that would influence the investigations into Nirmala Panta murder case.

Human Right activist Tulasi Thapa commented that their field visit on the incident site showed that the police persons were not seen discharging their duties abiding the laws while Nirmala’s neighbours Maya Negi and Meena Bhandari demanded earliest arrest of the culprits and justice to Nirmala. RSS