Youth held on charge of raping minor in Parsa

BIRGUNJ: A youth has been arrested on charge of raping a 10-year-old girl in Bahudarmai Municipality-5 in Parsa district on Wednesday.

According to Parsa District Police Office, 23-year-old Mani Bhusan Pandey had asked the minor, who was returning home from school, to fetch her goats which were tied at his house, before pouncing on her.

Taking advantage of the situation, Pandey had latched the door from inside, before committing the heinous crime, police said. However, Pandey managed to flee the scene after the victim screamed for help before the neighbours gathered around the incident site.

Later, Pandey was apprehended by the Dakaila Police in the district today.

The victim is under going medical treatment at the Narayani Sub Regional Hospital in Birgunj Metropolitan City.

Meanwhile, investigation into the case is underway, police said.

The news of the rape came to the fore within a month of another similar incident in the district, wherein a 10-year-old girl was brutally, repeatedly, raped.

With rise in the number of rape cases across the nation, people from all walks of life have clamoured for stern actions against those found guilty of raping minors.

Moreover, the lawmakers in Province 3 have also sought death penalty against those perpetrators involved in crimes like raping minors, recently.

As per the Muluki Ain/Civil Code of Nepal, anyone found guilty of raping a minor under 10 years is liable to 10-15 years imprisonment, and at least 6-10 years jail sentence for raping a minor girl of 14 years or above but below 16 years, as stated in the Muluki Ain.

Likewise, five to eight years jail sentence is given for raping a woman of 16 years or above but below 20 years, and five to seven years for raping a woman of 20 years or above.

Similarly, a husband who commits rape on his wife shall be liable to imprisonment for a term ranging from three to six months, reads the Civil Code of Nepal.