Incident Reports

Police HQ probes officers for refusing rape victim’s plaint

2018-01-25

Bagmati, Kathmandu, Kathmandu

Nepal Police Headquarters on Tuesday summoned two officers from Durbarmarg station to probe their refusal to file complaint of a 22-year-old woman raped by four men in a hotel last Thursday night. The police officers did not register the woman’s complaint, instead they told her to settle the issue with the perpetrators of the crime. The HQ called Deputy Superintendent of Police Tilak Bharati and Inspector Laxman Singh Thakuri of Metropolitan Police Circle, Durbar Marg, for the probe after they denied investigating the rape case. Inspector Thakuri told the victim to settle the issue with the perpetrators, according to reports. Spokesperson for Nepal Police Deputy Inspector General Manoj Neupane said, “We are really concerned about the incident. A thorough investigation is being carried out.” Police have formed a committee led by Superintendent of Police Ram Dutta Joshi of Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, to investigate into the issue. Joshi refused to comment saying that he will not speak on the matter under investigation. Police arrested one of the rapists on January 26, but set him free the next day for reasons unknown. A source at the Maharajung Police Station said they had arrested one person in connection with the case who was handed over to Durbarmarg Police Station on Saturday. “We later came to know the person was set free the next day. We were shocked,” said the source, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media. According to the police officers involved in the investigation, the woman said she was partying with one of her friends till late night when they decided to stay over in a hotel in Durbarmarg. Later, three men visited the hotel room and raped her repeatedly. On Friday morning the rapists called for a taxi to take her home. Once inside the taxi, she had requested the driver to take her to police station where she was denied filing the complaint. One of perpetrators, believed to come from an influential family, is reportedly using his political clout to close the case. Updated................................... The Nepal National Human Rights Commission has formed a panel to investigate the gang rape of a 22-year-old woman by four men in a hotel at Durbarmarg in Kathmandu. The rights body on Wednesday formed its investigation panel following the failure of the police administration to register the victim’s complaint against the perpetrators of the crime. Four men raped the woman in Landmark Hotel on January 25. One of the men is said to be the woman’s boyfriend. NHRC Spokesperson Mohna Ansari, in a written statement, said, “Serious attention of the commission has been drawn over the act of Nepal Police negligence in registering, investigation and fact collection of the rape cases. The NHRC has formed its own investigation committee to probe the alleged gang rape case in Landmark Hotel.” The rights body said it is seriously concerned that the police officers did not register the complaint and told the victim to settle the case with the perpetrators of the crime. The rapists have violated her dignity and human rights. Such an act by the government authority empowered to protect citizens is not acceptable. On Tuesday, the Nepal Police Headquarters had summoned the two police officers from Durbarmarg station who had refused to register the victim’s complaint. DSP Tilak Bharati and Inspector Laxman Singh Thakuri from the Metropolitan Police Circle Durbarmarg had put pressure on the woman to settle the issue with the perpetrators instead of registering her complaint. Following wide-spread criticism, the Nepal Police Headquarters had summoned the two officers and formed a team led by Superintendent of Police Ram Dutta Joshi to investigate into the case. The woman who was partying with one of her friends in Dubarmarg till late night on January 25 decided to stay over the hotel. Later three men entered in the hotel room and raped her repeatedly. On Friday morning a taxi was called by the four to send her home. She asked the taxi driver to take her to Durbarmarg Police where her complaint was not registered.
Details and Impacts
Violent / Non-violent Violent
Onesided / Twosided Onesided
Collective / Interpersonal Interpersonal
Primary Form Sexual Assault
Weapons None , None
Primary Cause Rape/sexual assault
Actor 1 - Number of people 4
Actor 1 - Affiliations Citizen/Individuals , Citizen/Individuals
Actor 1 - Youth unknown
Actor 2 - Number of people 1
Actor 2 - Affiliation (Target) Citizen/Individuals
Actor 2 - Youth youth
Total Raped 1
Female Raped 1
Youth Raped 1
National/Online Media , Local Newspaper - Banke

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