A 15-year-old Dalit girl was abducted and gang-raped in Jhalhi in ward 11 of Rajbiraj Municipality in Saptari district, with the victim’s family now facing pressure from local leaders to accept a financial settlement instead of pursuing justice.

The Wednesday evening abduction saw the perpetrators snatch the girl from her doorstep before holding her captive overnight.

Family members, along with neighbours, apprehended 19-year-old Raju Yadav and handed him over to police after establishing his involvement in the crime. Another accused in the incident, 18-year-old Vivek Yadav, remains at large.

Shockingly, instead of ensuring swift justice, ward officials, including chairperson Uttam Narayan Yadav allegedly convened a forced reconciliation meeting at the local health post on Friday, where they pressured the traumatised family to accept Rs100,000 compensation and drop charges—a demand the victim’s brother vehemently rejected, telling media they continue facing daily harassment for refusing the settlement.

While police have detained a suspect, authorities have yet to register a formal FIR even five days after the incident.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Jitendra Basnet of Saptari District Police Office said they are “awaiting complaint registration” to begin legal proceedings.

The case has exposed glaring systemic failures in protecting marginalised victims, with women’s rights organisations condemning both the brutal sexual violence and the apparent collusion of local authorities to bury the case.

However, ward chair Yadav claimed he merely “observed” discussions held in the presence of the panchayat (the assembly of village elders) and had no role in the attempts at forced mediation.