Journalism must be practised without fear or favour, including without trying to be on the right side of Nepal Police. The recent interview with Inspector General Sarbendra Khanal has allowed the police chief evade Nirmala Pant’s rape and murder case by simply blaming ‘police lapses’. But Khanal in his language seems to be purposely trying to hide the culprit.
The Nirmala Pant episode is such an open-and-shut case. The then police chief in Kanchanpur knew whom he was protecting when his subordinates had gone about destroying all traces of possible evidence. And the whole of Nepal Police shamelessly admits its inability to apprehend the culprit even in such a simple case.
This entire episode reminds us of the Namita-Sunita rape and murder case from 1980, and that was during the heyday of the monarchy. The police today, too, is trying to protect the relatives of some ‘democratic Maharajas’ who masquerade as people's representatives. And the poor police apparently have no qualms in acting as their accessory.
30.12°C Kathmandu
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