CASE NARRATIVE: Mrs. Sangita Lama Pariyar, the wife of Mr. Manoj Pariyar, was tortured on 26 January 2015. The Pariyar's are residents of Ward 4, Padhmapur VDC, Chitwan District, Nepal. On 26 January, at around 5 p.m., Sangita was bringing water from a well near her house. When her mother saw her, she started shouting abuse at her, using caste-based derogatory terms. Sangita's mother proceeded to throw Sangita's bucket of water and attacked Sangita. Sangita's father, sister, and another relative joined in and attacked Sangita, beating her with a wooden stick and firewood. Due to the severe beating, Sangita fell unconscious. However, the family did not relent. They sprinkled water, woke her up, and started hitting her again until she fell unconscious for a second time. Sangita was beaten for around 30 minutes. She has suffered numerous bruises to her forehead, her body, and her legs, and is unable to walk without support. Her left ankle has been broken due to this prolonger assault by her family. According to Sangita, her mother, father, and relatives were waiting for her at a spot where she could be found alone, in order to beat her to death. Fortunately, local social worker Ms. Pabitra Tamang arrived on the spot at around 5:30 p.m. and tried to stop the barbaric attack. However, other local Tamangs gathered and threatened Pabitra not to support Sangita. With the support of Ms. Pabitra Tamang, local social workers took Sangita to Bharatpur Medical Collage by ambulance. Sangita was hospitalized on 26 January 2015 around 9 p.m. Sangita's family and other locals followed the social workers with khurpas and khukaris (traditional hand-made weapons), threatening Pabitra not to support Sangita.  The victim has reported the incident on 27 January 2015 at the Area Police Office (APO) Padhmapur, Chitwan, providing names of four alleged perpetrators. On the same day, under the command of Constable Ramesh Nepali, the APO arrested three of the alleged perpetrators, i.e. the parents of Sangita, Ms. Dhanamaya Lopchan (49) and Mr. Bal Lama (50), and Sangita's sister. The fourth accused, Mr. Singjong Tamang (50) appears to have absconded.  Sangita registered a case against her four alleged attackers, as per Caste based Discrimination Offence, at Madi Police Office on 27 January 2015. The Police Office took the accused to the Chitwan District Court in order to extend their custody so that the legal process could be completed.  The victim has been seeking justice for the repeated torture she has been facing. Her father, Bal Lama, has threatened to kill her even if he finds her years later. The Tamang family has been spitting whenever they see Sangita and her 2 years old daughter and have been uttering caste based derogatory words and other verbal abuse. They have beaten up Sangita in the past as well. The Pariyar's have been living in fear.  Caste-based discrimination cases tend not to be taken seriously by the police administration in Nepal. Therefore, the JMC is concerned that without civil society pressure, the victims might not get justice.   The JMC is worried about the safety and security of the married couple. The JMC urges the government of Nepal to immediately intervene and investigate this incident. The government should direct the police to provide protection to Sangita, her daughter, and her husband.  

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In Nepalese society, there is hierarchy not only between Khas, Chhetri, and Dalits but also between Dalits and Janajati groups such as the Tamangs. The communities still do not accept the inter-caste marriage. In particular, inter-caste marriages with persons belonging to the Dalit community are not accepted by the Nepalese society, due to the entrenched ideas of the caste system and hence there is rampant discrimination against people of so-called lower castes. Sour