A group of youths held a demonstration in Maitighar, Kathmandu on Tuesday evening demanding justice for 17-year-old Rinku Kumari Sada of Bhagwatipur at Navarajpur Rural Municipality ward 1 in Siraha district who was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by three local men earlier this month.

The demonstrators, mostly youths from Siraha and other Madhesh districts, lit candles in her memory. They demanded swift legal action against her alleged rapists and those involved in the panchayat that allegedly led to her death.

The protest erupted following growing concerns over the failure of law enforcement agencies to handle the case effectively. Protesters accused authorities of attempting to cover up the crime through an informal settlement (panchayat), ignoring the gravity of the offense.

On the night of February 9, Sada was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by three local men—Rupesh Mandal, Tinku Mandal, and Chandan Sahela—when she stepped outside her home to relieve herself. According to her family, she was missing for six hours and found crying outside her house at 3 o'clock the following morning.

Despite her allegations, the case was not immediately registered with the police. Instead, local leaders convened a panchayat (informal village mediation) on February 12 to settle the matter. Hours later, she was found hanging in her home under suspicious circumstances.

Although her family initially reported the case as gang rape, law enforcement has registered it as a case of incitement to suicide. No arrests have been made so far concerning the rape allegations.

Following the incident, activists and human rights organisations have been raising concerns over police inaction regarding the case.

“The panchayat system exists because of the irresponsibility of the state,” said Shiva Yadav, a participant in Maitighar protest, condemning the persistence of informal settlements in handling serious crimes. “Even in cases of gang rape, justice is bartered away in village meetings.”

Speaking at the House of Representatives on Monday, lawmaker Samjhana Thapaliya, said the case highlights the negligence and inaction of the police. “The Home Ministry should ensure strict legal action against the perpetrators,” she said.

Following pressure, the Madhesh Province Police Office on Tuesday formed a five-member investigation committee led by SSP Shanti Raj Koirala to probe Sada’s death.

Meanwhile, the Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO) released a statement on Tuesday calling for urgent action in the case. “It is appalling that local representatives facilitated an informal settlement for such a serious crime and that the police failed to file charges for rape, caste-based discrimination, and abetment to suicide,” the statement read. “We demand the immediate arrest of all perpetrators.”

Amnesty International Nepal echoed this demand in a social media statement. “We also remind the prime minister to work on our recommendation in developing a concrete, transformative plan to address caste and gender-based violence and discrimination, rooted in human rights obligations and an intersectional approach,” the statement read.