Khotang, March 5

As Nepal Police has failed to arrest the perpetrator/s involved in the murder of 17-year-old Rita Tamang of Lichkiramche three weeks ago, a team from the Human Rights Commission has started a probe into the incident, in Khotang.

The body of the girl was recovered from Simpani-based Kusheaunshi Forest on February 8. As the security agency had failed to nab persons involved in the murder for a long, Inter-party Women Network drew the attention of National Human Rights Commission’s Sub-regional Office, Diktel, a few days ago, seeking fair investigation.

The commission’s representatives Ambika Ghimire and Lok Nath Ghimire reached the incident site and began investigation from today.

“We are intending to stay at the site at least for two to three days. The victims complained that the security agency had failed to nab the guilty. So, we will begin investigation on our own,” said Lok Nath.

Women of Lichkiramche had staged a silent rally and other pressure rallies demanding identification of the guilty and action. “As the security agency failed to nab the guilty for three weeks, we had no option but to knock the commission’s doors,” said the Network’s Chairperson Durga Jayanti Rai.

It has been surmised that she might have been murdered after gang rape. She was an employee at a hotel belonging to Shiva Khadka of Simpani Bazaar.

Though a probe team led by DSP Nabin Kishor Pradhan of District Police Office Khotang returned from the incident site, it has yet to ascertain the identity of the guilty. “Investigation of the suspects arrested on the basis of their telephone calls, threats and companionship with Rita are under way,” said police.

Ramesh Gaunle, a kin of the victim, said the security force and the administration needed to be more sensitive about the social and psychological impacts among the victim’s relatives due to failure to arrest the criminal/s for so long.