A 10-year-old girl studying in Year 7, who faced repeated sexual abuse from her 45-year-old father and 22-year-old brother, has been rescued by Kathmandu Metropolitan City. The girl contacted the child rescue hotline (1180) of the metropolis on December 20, reporting the abuse.

Authorities responded immediately, rescuing her and placing her in a permanent shelter under municipal care.

Following the rescue, the metropolis informed her school and conducted initial inquiries with her mother. A psychosocial report confirmed ongoing abuse by both her father and cousin. Based on this, Kathmandu Metropolitan City filed a complaint with the District Police Office on 20 December, which later proceeded to the District Court.

However, the girl’s mother filed a habeas corpus petition at the Patan High Court on March 3, alleging that the municipality, the school principal, and the shelter organisation had taken her daughter against her will and withheld her whereabouts.

The court, on March 4, ordered the defendants to submit a written response within three days. Kathmandu Metropolitan City provided details about the girl’s vulnerable condition, the rescue process, and her ongoing protection by March 9.

A joint bench of Judges Anju Upreti Dhakal and Tikaram Acharya ruled that there was no justification to return the girl to her biological mother. However, the court directed the municipality and the shelter to arrange visits if the mother requested to meet her daughter.