Pokhara, June 19:

All schools in Kaski were shut today to protest the Kaski district court’s verdict to quash a case filed against two youths accused of raping a seven-year-old girl.

District Child Forum (DCF), Kaski, announced closure of all private and public schools in the district for an indefinite period. The forum had sued 19-year-old Bishnu Acharya of Pokhara-3 and 20-year-old Bed Hari Bhattarai of Kaskikot-15 months ago for allegedly raping a seven-year-old girl who was working as a domestic help in Bishnu’s house.

A single bench of judge at the Kaski district court Pawan Kumar Sharma quashed the chargesheet filed against the two and freed them.

The accused youths’ relatives had even threatened to kill a member of the DCF, said DCF advisor Bhagwan Giri.

Human rights activists, DCF members, legal professionals, umbrella organisation of the private schools PABSON and N-PABSON at a meeting today concluded that the court’s verdict was prejudiced.

They also decided to launch a phase-wise agitation to seek punishment for the guilty.