Rape, murder accused taken to Kathmandu for medical tests

Dhangadi, August 28

Dilip Singh Bista, who was accused in the rape and subsequent murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta of Bhimdatta Municipality, Kanchanpur was taken to Kathmandu for health check-up today.

After a long investigation, Kanchnapur police had made Bista, 41, of Bagphant at Bhimdatta Municipality public as the accused in the rape and murder case at a press meet on August 20.

Locals had hit the street after police arrested a mentally disturbed individual to save the guilty in the incident.

Fourteen-year-old Shani Khuna of Bhimdatta Municipality was killed in police fire during demonstration, while 13 others were injured.

District Police Office Kanchanpur SP Kuber Kathayat said Bista’s health would be checked to determine whether or not he was mentally disturbed. “Other technical tests will also be conducted to check whether or not he was involved in raping Panta,” said SP Kathayat.

A police team led by DSP Krishnaraj Ojha has been deployed to investigate the case.

Earlier, a police team led by Inspector Dipendra Khadka was mobilised to probe the incident. SP Kathayat said police would investigate the incident while a high-level government probe committee would report to the government about the investigation and the role of police in the probe. “The high-level probe committee is working according to the terms of reference provided by the government,” Kathayat said.

Police have arrested Roshani Bam and Babita Bam of Bhimdatta Municipality for their alleged involvement in the incident. Nirmala Pant, who went to Roshani’s house to do homework on July 26, was found dead in a sugarcane field the next day. The victim’s family and locals say the Bam sisters have knowledge about what happened to Nirmala.  Roshani and Babita have been remanded to custody and investigation has started, police said.

READ ALSO: