KANCHANPUR: The District Administration Office, Kanchanpur, has imposed curfew in Bhimdatta Municipality wards 4 and 18 until further notice, Assistant Chief District Officer Shanker Bista said. He further said the curfew would be gradually relaxed in the area.

Locals have been hit hard since the District Administration imposed the curfew on Friday at 8:00 pm after a 14-year-old boy died in police firing and six others sustained bullet injuries in front of the DAO during the protest demanding justice in Nirmala Panta's rape and murder case.

Despite forging a four-point agreement during all-party meeting, curfew had been relaxed for only four hours today from 6:00 to 10:00 this morning.

On the third day of the formation of a high-level committee to investigate Nirmala Panta's rape and murder, inspection was carried out at the murder site, today.

The committee's coordinator and Home Affair Ministry's Joint Secretary Hari Prasad Mainali said, "The team has reached the site at Bhagatpur in Bhimdatta Municipality-18 in the district for field study today."

He further said that the committee also visited the victim's father and mother to investigate the incident. "The victim's father, Yekraj Panta, requested the committee to conduct an unbiased investigation and bring the culprit under the law," Mainali said.

According to Mainali, the team has begun their investigation from Roshni and Sunita Bam's house, where the victim had gone to do her assignments on July 26. The following day, her body was found in a nearby sugarcane field.

"We have been investigating into the case as per the 'Terms of Reference' (ToR) given by the government. We are moving forward taking into account the facts uncovered during prior investigations," Mainali informed.

Superintendent of Police Kuber Kathayat at the Kanchanpur District Police Office said, "The suspected sisters have been presented before the District Court and remanded to custody for further investigation."

SP Kathayat said, "During our investigation, we will also try to figure out mistakes made by the earlier team and investigate into it."

"We will use the rights guaranteed by law and move ahead in our investigation accordingly. Believe in police, an effective investigation will yield the result," SP Kathayat added.

Earlier, the high-level committee held a discussion with government officials on Friday and held meeting with the stakeholders on Saturday before visiting the murder site today.

The victim's family and locals had appealed to the police department to arrest the sisters and begin an investigation from their house.

Sani Khuna of Bhimdatta Municipality-18, who was declared martyr after he was shot dead in police firing on Friday, has been cremated at the banks of Mahakali river today. The 14-year-old boy was shot in the chest while protesting in front of the District Administration Office on Friday.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to provide Rs 1 million compensation to the victim's kin. Likewise, Bhimdatta Municipality has also decided to provide support of Rs 300,000 to the victim's family.

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