Kathmandu, February 9

Nepal Police is facing hard time to arrest former deputy superintendent of police Rajkumar Khiuju, who has been accused of raping a girl multiple times over a period of five months at several places, including his own duty station at Chapagaun Police Circle, Lalitpur.

Khiuju has been absconding after a 21-year-old girl on February 5, filed an FIR at the Metropolitan Police Range, Jawalakhel, accusing him of ‘misusing his power and raping her.’ Lalitpur District Court had on the same day issued arrest warrant against the accused. But, Police are clueless on the whereabouts of Khiuju.

Police have formed a special task force to trace the accused. Senior Superintendent of Police Tek Prasad Rai, head of MPR, Jawalakhel said, “The accused has been absconding and we are trying to locate his hideout. We are confident our special task force will arrest him within a couple of days,” adding, “Remaining out of contact does not help him at all. This will be recorded by police as evidence against him,” Rai said. A permanent resident of Thula Durlung of Mahankal Rural Municipality in Lalitpur, the victim in her FIR has accused Khiuju of raping her for the first time on February 13, last year at his police station. She said she had visited the police station seeking a police report.

The girl was intimidated following the first incident of rape. Khiuju took advantage of that and raped her repeatedly. He also visited the girl’s rented room or ordered her to visit his police station, where he raped her. This had continued for five months according to a victim’s aide, who has been supporting her in the case.

SSP Rai said although the accused has not been arrested yet, police have already started investigating the case. “We are awaiting clinical report of the victim and have deployed officials at her rented room and police station where she claimed to have been raped.” According to police sources, Khiuju was transferred to Biratnagar after the issue surfaced within the police circle. He resigned around one-and-ahalf months ago citing ‘domestic reasons’.