Nepal Police has began investigation into murder of Sharmila BK, a local of Amchok of Dharapani Rural Municipality, following villagers registered a complaint at higher authority on doubts of killing the teenager Dalit girls after raping her.  A 14 years old Dalit girl was thrashed and raped in the same village some three weeks ago.

Locals suspects Sharmila was killed after rape.  Tailor Shrmila was found hanged and injuries were visible on face and other parts of her body. Based on these injuries locals suspect she was raped and hanged to weaken rape case.

Villagers accuse local Sub-Inspector of Police, Ganesh Shrestha, had prepared First Information Report horridly to prove she had killed self so that the murder case could be weakened.

Dismayed with the police report locals had moved to the Office of Bhojpur District Police twice demanding to investigate into ‘rape case’ but in a vain. But the locals moved to Federal Police Unit, Dharan after a 14-year old girl’s eyes were pulled out and raped in Amchowk on October 28.  Following the complaint the police has started investigation into ‘murder’ case of Sharmila as well.

Locals believe second incidents would not happen if the local authorities have investigated into ‘murder’ of Sharmila and action was taken against the culprits. They have accused Amchowk Rural Municipality Chairperson Sita Rai of weakening murder case and not prioritizing to arrest suspicious individuals involved in her killing in time. 

Bhojpur Police Chief Deputy Superintendent of Police said he was not in office when ‘rape case’ happened and informed investigation into the same was started following instruction from higher authorities.

Case details 
According to local, the 14-year old Sharmila was eighth grader in local Janata Lower Secondary School, Aaamchowk. She used to live together with her grant parents, Ramesh and Kala and supported them in tailoring for the survival.

This squatters’ family has no land and other properties. That’s why they were fully dependent in their manual job and taking shelter in other’s land. Sharmila’s father was out of contact for years and mother married to another man.

In April this year, an eighteen years old Magar boy came to repair clothes to Sharmila’s house in the afternoon. Her grandfather had left home to work somewhere else in the village and grandmother also left to grind maize urging her to repair the young man’s cloths. 

When her grandmother returned to home, Sharmila’s clothes were torn and face was filled with blood. Blood was visible everywhere in home including roof. Locals suspect of rape case. But the police official Shrestha dismissed the case saying it was suicide case. 

Locals believe culprits could be arrested if the police had arrested suspicious individuals. Police never inquired Magar boy who had came to Sharmila’s home for repairing cloths before her grandmother left the house. Police could take up this case, according to the villagers. Since the victims’ family was poor and helpless police did not give due priority to investigate into the ‘murder’ case and hold those accused accountable for their crime.

Frustrated with the killing of Sharmila her grand parents have now shifted to new place, Ranitar. They have been continuing tailoring to survive.

Another Rape Case 
The 19-year-old Sanotsh Shrestha had raped the Dalit girl of Aaamchwok while she was collecting grass. Santosh tried to make her blind by damaging both of her eyes and rape.  Shrestha had tried to kill her after rape but she hardly managed to return to home. She has been receiving treatment at Dharan-based BP Koirala Memorial Institute.  Various rights bodies and media have expressed their serious concerns and solidarity over the rape case. Police are investigating against Santosh on charges of murder and force rape after the case was registered there.