Niharika Rajput, who was on a hunger strike in Kathmandu, attempted self-immolation in front of the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas, demanding justice on Friday afternoon.

According to Deputy Superintendent Angur GC of Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharajgunj, Rajput was immediately taken into custody to save her from self-harming. GC said that she was taken to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj for a health check-up.

Niharika, who also identifies herself as Sonali Kumari Singh, from Mahottari in Jaleshwar Municipality-9 has been demanding justice, saying that Shivaraj Shrestha, a resident of Kshireshwarnath Municipality-3, Mahendra Nagar, repeatedly raped her and impregnated her.

Niharika had reached the Dhanusha District Court on March 2, 2020, after she was allegedly raped on October 29, 2019. She gave birth to her son on August 21, 2020.

The Dhanusha District Court decided that the existing evidence could not establish the crime against the accused.

Niharika then went to Janakpur High Court on February 27 appealing to quash the decision of the Dhanusha District Court.

She then came to Kathmandu and approached the National Human Rights Commission seeking justice. She then started a hunger strike demanding a DNA test, claiming that Shrestha is her baby’s father.

She had then returned home after the government’s assurance to address her demands.

Government officials including Joint Secretary Shivaram Pokhrel and Under Secretary Basanta Bhattarai, both representing the Home Ministry, had signed a five-point agreement before she decided to end her fast-unto-death.