Kathmandu, January 3

A lawmaker today sought permission for women lawmakers to investigate Nirmala Panta’s rape and murder incident, saying the government had failed to catch the culprit(s).

The lawmaker said women lawmakers would come up with a result if they got permission to investigate.

Speaking at the House of Representatives meeting, main opposition Nepali Congress Lawmaker Rangamani Shahi said the government had failed to catch the culprit(s) who raped and murdered Nirmala even after five months. “The government has not only failed to catch the culprit(s), but it has also arrested innocent people and tortured them,” she said, adding, allow us women lawmakers to investigate the incident and we will come up with a result.

Nirmala was raped and murdered on July 26 in Kanchanpur.

Another lawmaker of NC Dila Sangraula criticised the government for not finding the culprit(s). “The Deputy-Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (Ishwor Pokharel) has accused the opposition and said the government had found the culprit(s). But where are they?” she asked.

During a meeting, Lawmaker Bimala BK said the Ministry of Home Affairs should give details about Ram Bahadur Bomjon, the self-claimed ‘godman’, for abusing and making people, especially girls vanish. Ruling Nepal Communist Party Lawmaker Bhim Bahadur Rawal said the government should build Upper Karnali hydroelectricity project as soon as possible.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli didn’t appear at the HoR today informing that he would be addressing House on Sunday.