Kathmandu, October 25

Parents of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta and rights activists who have been demanding justice for Nirmala said they would not rest until the government made public the culprit(s) who raped and murdered Nirmala on July 10.

They also said since the government had sacked SP Dilli Raj Bista and Inspector Jagdish Raj Bhatta for mishandling the investigation, further investigation should start from them, as  it was now obvious that they ‘deliberately misled the probe’.

Talking to THT over telephone Nirmala’s mother Durga Devi Panta said, “Although the government has shown some degree of seriousness, we now demand that further investigation be started from the Bista and Bhatta duo as even the government has accepted that they misled the investigation.”

“The government cannot avoid further investigation. It has to say why powerful officials of the district misled the investigation. After all, our only demand is that the culpirt (s) be made public.”

Similarly, Nirmala’s father Yagya Raj Panta said  they were less than satisfied with the government action. “Let the government not think that we will rest after today, we won’t stop till justice is provided for Nirmala.”

Kanchanpur-based rights activist Sharada Chand also said now the government must start the investigation from the sacked police officers by asking why they misled the investigation.

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