A 46-year-old man from Waling in Syangja district has been arrested on the charge of raping a girl. Security personnel detained the suspect who allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl on March 18. The accused is suspected to have taken the victim under control while she was going to a playground at Kebarebhanjyang. The victim’s relatives complained that police took up the case only after pressure from the local people. “The police initially refused to register the case. They finally registered a complaint after we warned of exposing their non-cooperation,” said Ramesh Aryal of Waling. He claimed that the police, some leaders and locals had attempted to settle the case at the local level. According to local residents, the victim was taken to the Primary Health Centre in Waling for medical test but the health institution refused to examine her. She was later sent to the district hospital. Superintendent of Police Pradip Kumar Shrestha, however, said they had taken the incident seriously. “An investigation is underway after her medical examination,” he added. The suspect has been taken into custody.