Incident Reports

Women stage sit-in for release of report on Nirmala case

2018-09-29

Women's rights activists in Mahendranagar have begun a sit-in protest demanding that the government make public a report prepared by a high-level commission investigating the rape and murder of Nirmala Panta. A large number of women assembled at Madanchowk in Mahendranagar at around 9 am Saturday and began their sit-in . Mina Bhandari, coordinator of a Civil Struggle Committee informed that the main aim of the protest is to exert pressure on the authorities to unveil the report. On August 23, the Home Ministry formed a high-level probe committee headed by Under- Secretary Hari Prasad Mainali to investigate Nirmala's rape and murder. After investigating the case for a month, the committee submitted its report to Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa recently. Amid ongoing speculation and rumors, people across the country are curious to know what is in the report. However, even after waiting for days, the locals are unable to learn about the details contained in it . "We feel the government is trying to shield the culprit by withholding the report from the public," said Bhandari, adding, "That's why we have decided to take to the streets." Apart from the women, all the locals have also demanded the public release of the report as soon as possible. The protesters have threatened to continue their sit-in until the guilty are booked . Nirmala's father Yagyaraj Panta has expressed disappointment at the authorities withholding the report from the public. "Why this dillydallying when the committee has already submitted its report? We have our suspicions," said Panta. बलात्कारपछि हत्या गरिएकी १३ वर्षीया बालिका निर्मला पन्तको बलात्कार र हत्याकाण्डको छानबिन गर्न गठित उच्चस्तरीय छानबिन समितिको प्रतिवेदन सार्वजनिक गर्न माग गर्दै महिला अधिकारकर्मी धर्नामा बसेका छन् । नागरिक संघर्ष समितिको अगुवाइमा शनिबार महिला अधिकारकर्मी धर्नामा बसेका हुन् । उनीहरुले शनिबार बिहान ९ बजेदेखिे महेन्द्रनगरको मदन चोकस्थित भेटघाट चौतारीमा धर्ना सुरु गरेका हुन् । धर्ना बेलुकी ५ बजेसम्म जारी रहने नागरिक संघर्ष समितिका संयोजक मीना भण्डारीले जानकारी दिइन् । ‘अहिलेसम्म निर्मलाको बलात्कार र हत्या घटनाका दोषी पक्राउ पर्न सकेका छैनन्’उनले भनिन्,‘सरकारले गठन गरेको छानबिन समितिलेसमेत प्रतिवेदन बुझाइसक्यो, तर त्यसलाई अहिलेसम्म सार्वजनिक गरिएको छैन्।’ उनले प्रतिवेदन सार्वजनिक नगर्नुभित्रसमेत शंका रहेको भन्दै तत्काल छानबिन समितिले बुझाएको प्रतिवेदन सार्वजनिक गर्नुपर्ने माग गरिन् साउन १० गते बलात्कारपछि हत्या गरिएकी निर्मला पन्तको हत्या भएको २ महिना भन्दाबढी वित्दासमेत हत्यारा पत्ता लाग्न सकेको छैन् । हत्यारालाई पक्राउ गर्नुपर्ने मागसहित महेन्द्रनगरमा आन्दोलन सुरु भएको थियो । आन्दोलनकै क्रममा भदौ ७ र ८ गते प्रहरीले गोली चलाएपछि सरकारले छानबिन गर्न उच्चस्तरीय समिति बनायो । भदौं ८ गते महेन्द्रनगर पुगेर उच्चस्तरीय छानबिन समितिले अनुसन्धान थालेको थियो । उच्चस्तरीय छानबिन समितिले आफ्नो प्रतिवेदन गृहमन्त्रालयलाई बुझाइसकेको छ । प्रतिवेदनमा तत्कालीन प्रहरी नेतृत्वले अनुसन्धानमा त्रुटि गरेको ठहर गरिएको भन्ने सामान्य जानकारीबाहेक अन्य कुरा सार्वजनिक गरिएको छैन ।
Details and Impacts
Violent / Non-violent Nonviolent
Collective / Interpersonal Collective
Primary Form Gherau/Dharna (sit-in)/padlocking
Primary Cause Issues related to legal action and access to justice
Actor 1 - Number of people 30
Actor 1 - Affiliations Women's Rights Activists
Actor 1 - Youth unknown
Actor 2 - Number of people NA
Actor 2 - Affiliation (Target) Government and civil servants at central level
Actor 2 - Youth na
National/Online Media , Local Newspaper - Rautahat

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