KATHMANDU, MAY 29

The National Human Rights Commission has drawn its attention to rape and subsequent mysterious death of a 13-yearold girl in Devdaha Municipality-11, Rupandehi.

Angira Pasi, who was allegedly raped on May 22, was found hanging from a tree the next day. Issuing a press release today, the rights body said its Butwal Province Office had launched onsite investigation into the suspicious death of the girl.

A day after she was raped, the victim was handed over to the rape accused in the presence of local level representatives instead of bringing the perpetrators to book. She was not allowed to enter the house of the rape accused for allegedly being a Dalit. According to the NHRC, series of such incidents happening in the society are against rights of children, rights against caste-based discrimination and right to dignified life as guaranteed by articles 39, 24, 18 and 16 of the Constitution, Act Relating to Child-2018, Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offences and Punishment) Act-2018, Convention of the Rights of the Child-1989, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination-1965 and Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women-1979, to which Nepal is a signatory.

“Therefore, the NHRC urges the government to conduct fair and impartial investigation into the incidents and bring the perpetrator(s) to book,” read the release. The rights body also called on the government to initiate legal action against all persons involved, including local level representatives, who sent the victim to the house of the alleged rapist.

“We request the government to maintain zero tolerance against all types of criminal offences like rape, murder and caste-based discrimination as such incidents are on the rise for the past few months in the country,” said NHRC.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.