Kathmandu, Sept 17 – Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged the family members of Nirmala Panta of Kanchanpur to rest assured of action against the culprit (s) responsible for Nirmala’s rape and murder whatever the post they hold.
PM Oli said this during a meeting with Nirmala’s parents and lawmakers from Province 7. They had gone to meet the PM at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar today calling for expediting the investigations into the murder case and to take action against the culprits.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli reiterated that the guilty persons cannot escape the law no matter how powerful they are in terms of money, strength, affiliation to a certain political party or post.
Stating that he has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs from the beginning for carrying out a foolproof investigation and harsh action in connection to this incident as it was a heinous crime and a blot on humanity itself, the Executive Chief said the district-based then security officials have been suspended as the investigations carried out by them and their activities were found suspicious.
He added that lately a powerful investigation committee under the coordination of a Deputy Inspector General of Police has been formed to probe into this incident.
“The task of finding out the culprits of this incident was delayed as we relied on the local police in the initial phase of the investigations. The police officers might have committed mistakes or cheated. But one cannot squarely blame anyone without the completion of the investigations. Therefore, the state will look into the matter. The state takes legal action even without having to organise a demonstration or procession. We cannot even think of protecting the culprits,” the Prime Minister insisted.
Cautioning against taking such criminal incidents and mindset as normal, PM Oli said the guilty will not be let go scot-free.
Nirmala’s dead body was found in a sugarcane field in Kanchanpur on July 26.
Nirmala’s mother, Durga Maya, said that they were compelled to come to the Prime Minister seeking justice and action against the culprits as no culprit has been traced and taken action on even after 60 days of Nirmala’s murder.
Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) leader Bhim Bahadur Rawal said the government should leave no stone untirned to bring to book the culprits involved in Nirmala’s murder.
Nepali Congress leader Narayan Prakash Saud said all the political parties including the main opposition party were working to provide justice to the Kanchanpur locals and to maintain peace in the community in the aftermath of this incident. He called on the government to find out the culprits and take action against them.
The Nepal Students Union (NSU) staged a demonstration today, demanding action against the murderer(s) of Nirmala Panta of Kanchanpur.
The NSU Central Committee organised a rally from Exhibition Road to Putalisadak, demanding justice for Nirmala and her parents after taking action against the murderer(s).
On the occasion, NSU President Nain Singh Mahar said that government’s failure to arrest Panta’s murder(s) even after around two months of the incident was sad. According to NSU, it would continuously demonstrate against the government until the Panta’s family gets justice.
