POKHARA: Locals have staged a sit-in-protest in front of Kaski District Police Office today demanding justice for Pushpa KC, who was found dead at Lamachaur in Pokhara-19 four days ago.

Before staging the protest in front of the DPO, locals had accused the police of failing to identify the culprit and of ineffective investigation.

One of the protesters said, "The protest is a move to pressurise the DPO to expedite their investigation so they could bring the culprit to book."

Locals along with the family members have been urging the police to arrest the culprit as they suspect the victim might have been brutally raped and murdered while returning from school four days ago.

The protesters chanted slogans demanding capital punishment for the rapist, resignation of Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, guarantee of women's safety, and justice for Pushpa KC.

Police had arrested few suspects in connection to the murder of the 13-year-old girl but they are yet to identify the perpetrator behind the incident.

On Sunday, locals held a meeting at Lamachaur in Pokhara-19 and formed a seven-member support committee including Bam Bahadur Gurung, Hari Baduwal, Navaraj Thapa and Sabin GC.

However, locals have accused the seven-member committee of doing little to support the police to carry out a fair investigation into the case.

The victim's uncle Dhruba KC said, "We are not satisfied with the results published by the hospital after an autopsy on Saturday. The victim's body indicates that she might have been dumped after the murder."

As per the report, the victim had injuries on her lungs, liver and blood clot on the left side of her head. It further shows that the victim sustained internal injuries on the left side of her body.

Kaski DPO Spokesperson Rabindra Gurung said, "In coordination with the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nabin Karki, at Baidam Area Police Office, an investigation team has been formed to investigate the case."

During the investigation, few suspected persons along with school students were interrogated, according to the DPO.

Meanwhile, the victim's family has declined to receive the body until truth behind the murder is unveiled by the police. The body has been kept at the Pokhara-based Western Regional Hospital.