Baliman Rai and his wife Padam Kumari, of Dharan-16, Sunsari, may have sexually abused their 13-year-old adopted daughter, Anusha, who died of insecticide poisoning on Monday.

Her autopsy report, which was released on Friday, stated that there were scars on her private organs, suggesting that she had been sexually abused for a long time. However, there was no evidence that she was raped recently, said the doctors at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.

It is still unclear whether Anusha had consumed insecticide with the intention of ending her life or her foster parents had force-fed it to her.

  Police have detained the Rai couple for investigation.

Anusha’s death had sparked a protest in her neighbourhood at Punya Marga on Tuesday.

The locals have accused the Rai couple of murdering Anusha, whom they had adopted when she was four, and attempting to portray her death as a suicide.

Man held for raping minor

JAJARKOT

A 35-year-old man has been arrested on the charge of raping a mentally challenged girl at Matela in Bherimalika Municipality-11, Jajarkot. The accused, Indra Bahadur Shahi, was arrested on Thursday for raping the 13-year-old girl by taking her in a cave on the Bheri river bank.

The girl has accused Shahi of trying to rape her in the past as well, police said.