Family and relatives of Pradeep Rawal and Bishal Chaudhari, the latest suspects in the teenage murder mystery, protested on the streets of Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur, on Tuesday stating the government tried to frame innocent people in the crime.

The protesters disrupted vehicular movement at Traffic Chowk for two hours. Similarly, a huge number of women from Tharu community in Bhagatpur staged demonstration along the East-West Highway stating that the arrested duo is innocent. “It seems that the authorities try to frame innocent people to protect the real culprits,” said Mina Bhandari, the coordinator of Citizen Struggle Committee. It is said that Rawal and Chaudhary, both of whom have allegedly confessed to the crime-had been arrested in a petty theft case on the day 13-year-old girl was murdered after rape. Congress sister wings push for justice.

Activists of Nepali Congress affiliated Nepal Student Union (NSU) and Nepal Women’s Association (NWA) staged demonstrations in front of the office of Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province in Dhangadi on Tuesday, demanding to hunt and arrest the criminals who raped and murdered 13-year-old Nirmala Pant.

The area remained tense after the protesters burnt effigies of Prime Minister KP Oli and Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa. The demonstrators confronted with security personnel as they attempted to stop them from burning the effigies.

The NSU and NWA cadres burnt tyres outside the main entrance of the CM’s office as part of their protest. The protests disrupted vehicular traffic for half an hour.

The protesters chanted slogans-‘Sarkar Bhettiyo, Nyay Bhettiyena’ (Found the government, but could not find justice)-during the protest.

The teenage girl from Bhimdutta Municipality-2, Kanchanpur, was found murdered in a sugarcane field on July 27, a day after she went missing. Forensic report has proved the 13-year-old girl was murdered after rape.