Kathmandu, November 10

Three persons were arrested on the charge of raping a 12-year old girl in Gorkarneshwor Municipality, Kathmandu, on November 8, a day before Bhai Tika.

The girl, whose identity has been kept secret by the police, was abducted on Thursday noon when she was out of her house ‘to play with her junior brother’. The duo had gone to an under-construction cricket stadium at Mulpani near their home.

Three labourers working at the site lured the girl to their rented room at Kageshwori Manohara Municipality-6 and raped her there, said police. Her brother, who had no knowledge how her sister disappeared, went home and informed his parents. Family members then started searching for the girl.

Police arrived at the site from where the girl had disappeared at around 2:00pm after ‘someone’ informed them about the incident, according to police. Police said the rented room where the girl was raped was ‘not very far’ from the construction site.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Narendra Chand of Metropolitan Police Circle, Boudha,  said they had arrested three persons from their rented room at around 3:00pm the same day.

A press release issued by the police stated the arrestees had been identified as Dilliram Tharu,30, and BikuTharu of Bangaha, Bardiya; and Rabin Itany, 21, of Chainpur, Dhading.

DSP Chand, however, refused to divulge whether the girl was rescued from the room of the accused. “I cannot reveal all details regarding the case.”

DSP Chand said that an FIR has been lodged against the accused and they were awaiting the alleged victim’s medical report. “We cannot speak further until we receive the medical report, he added. Ward chair Keshab Gurung, who is also a neighbour of the victim, requested people to respect the privacy of the family.