Jajarkot, February 19

Although she is just seven-month-old, a minor is languishing in police custody with her mother after her father was convicted of bigamy.

While her father Tekendra Sunar of Bheri Malika municipality-11 in Jajarkot has been sent to jail, her mother Laxmi has been detained at the District Police Office.

The district court handed down 14-year and 11-year prison terms to Tekendra and Laxmi respectively, responding to a case filed by Tekendra’s first wife.

Tekendra’s first wife claimed that her husband took second wife without divorcing her.

Tekendra is currently serving jail term in district prison of Jajarkot.

Meanwhile, rights activists have expressed concern about the child. “It is very unfortunate that an innocent baby has been kept in detention for a crime committed by her parents,” said Pragya Nuraula, chief of Women and Children Office, Jajarkot.

On his part, DSP Dan Bahadur Malla of the District Police Office said there was nothing he could do to help the child. “We’re not doing this because we want the child to suffer.

We are just executing the court’s verdict. Moreover, the child has no one except her parents,” he said.