Twelve days have passed since 17-year-old Bhagarathi Bhatta was murdered after being raped by unidentified person(s) in Dogdakedar Rural Municipality of Baitadi district. But the investigation undertaken by the police has not concluded yet.
A team led by Nepali Congress (NC) central member and former Minister Ramesh Lekhak who reached Baitadi district for observation and study of the incident told the NepalNews that there was not much progress in the investigation. Former minister Lekhak, however, said the investigation was underway. He said he had no exact figure on how many suspects were being investigated.
The NC team on Sunday visited the incident site, talked to members of the victim family and also held discussions with the local representatives and the provincial head of Nepal police on the matter of the investigation.
Bhagarathi had gone missing on February 3. The following day she was found dead with the strangulated neck in Lawalek forest in Dogdakedar. The Police have not been able to round up those involved in the heinous crime.
The visiting NC leader viewed that once the investigation concluded and the murderers brought to book, the victim's family will have to be compensated by the government.
It has been learnt that peaceful demonstrations are taking place calling for immediate arrest and action against the rapist(s) and murderer(s) in the locality on daily basis.
Moreover, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to book the guilty by carrying out fair and effective investigations into the incident while Nepal Student Union (NSU), the student wing of NC has been organising a various demonstration in the capital city demanding justice in the rape and subsequent murder of the teenager.
