Women’s rights defenders from Dhading have drawn the attention of Prime Minister Puspha Kamal Dahal to the incident where a safe house for victims of gender-based violence in the district was bulldozed by the forest authority on Friday morning.

In a letter sent to the prime minister on Wednesday, the women’s rights defenders have explained that the building of Sneha Kendra was wrecked by the Dhading District Forrest Office (DFO) without any prior notice. They have also demanded the government to investigate why the DFO resorted to such action.

Five women taking shelter at the safe house, a five-month-old baby and five staff members were inside when the  DFO started tearing down the building.

“Demolishing a house where vulnerable people are taking shelter without prior notice is our main objection. This is a heinous act and we will not tolerate,” said Radhika Sapkota, who runs the safe house located in Nilkantha Municipality-7.

According to Sapkota, local police were also present when the building was being pulled down by force.

The DFO has said that the safe house was built on an encroached forest land.

Sapkota, however, maintain that they had constructed the building with the consent and financial assistance of the District Development Committee (DDC).

The safe house was built at the joint initiative of the Dhading District Alliance of Women’s Rights Defenders and Sahayatri Nepal seven years ago.

The concerned women’s rights group has also written to the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, and various political

parties, drawing their attention to the case.