​On the morning of Saturday, March 7, what began as a routine day ended in tragedy for Inisa BK. A resident of Gurbhakot Municipality-6, Surkhet, Inisa was found dead under circumstances her family alleges involved both sexual assault and homicide.

The 16-year-old teenage girl, who had been living in Birendranagar-1 to pursue her higher secondary education with her mother and brother, had left home at 6 am, saying she was going to attend tuition classes and promising to return in one or two hours, but she never made her way back.

She was a Grade 11 science student at local Usha Balbatika School and had a plan to visit home at Gurbhakot with her mother and brother to enjoy the Saturday holiday.

Mother Tila allowed Inisa to leave home for tuition classes after she promised she would return shortly. Worried about her failure to return on time, Tila called Inisa up at around 9 am, but her mobile was switched off.

“I tried to reach her when she did not return by 9 am despite her pledge to return by 8 am,” said Tila, breaking down. “Then I called the teacher, that mobile was also switched off.”

About 10 minutes later, Tila received a call from an unknown number saying Inisa had been found unconscious in the forest of Sahid Park.

When she reached the site, she found her daughter naked, bleeding and unconscious. “Her body was covered in blood, her hair had been pulled and the grass around was crushed,” Tila said. “As she was naked, someone had covered her body with a black jacket. I fainted after seeing her.”

Police and locals rushed Inisa to the Provincial Hospital in Birendranagar, around 10 minutes away, but doctors declared her dead before treatment could begin. Her body has been kept at the hospital for the past five days and the post-mortem examination has been completed.

The family has refused to receive the body, demanding action against those responsible. “She was raped before being killed. We will not receive the body until we get justice,” Tila said.

Dr Ganesh Thapa, director of the Provincial Hospital, said a team of specialist doctors from Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj has been called to analyse the detailed post-mortem report.

“We are analysing the report from every angles,” he said. “A detailed report will be sent to the concerned authorities within one or two days.” Police said samples have also been sent to a forensic laboratory for further examination.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohanjang Budhathapa, spokesperson for the District Police Office Surkhet, said the exact details of the incident will be clear after both reports are received. Preliminary investigation suggests the girl died after being raped, he said.

According to Dr Arbin Shakya, senior forensic department officer at Bheri Hospital Nepalgunj, the post-mortem report indicates the girl died after excessive bleeding caused by severe injuries to the internal and external parts of the genital area.

“It seems there was extremely violent sexual contact. It is not yet clear whether it was a gang rape,” he said. “Other reports are still awaited.”

Budhathapa said police received information about the incident at around 9:15am on Saturday.

“When we reached the incident site, injuries were visible in the lower part of the body and there was bleeding,” he said. “There were scratch marks on the back.”

Police said one person was detained from the incident site and three others were apprehended on Sunday for investigation. All three arrested later are minors under the age of 18.

The deceased’s father, Indra Bahadur BK, a retired Nepal Army personnel, has been serving at Dubai police for the past six years. The family also owns a house in Birendranagar-1. Tila had been living in Birendranagar for five years to educate Inisa and her younger brother.

Neighbour Prem Bahadur BK said Indra Bahadur tried to return to Nepal after the incident but could not travel because the Dubai airport was closed.

The family has filed a complaint against four individuals on murder and rape charges, Budhathapa said.

According to police, a 16-year-old suspect told during interrogations that the girl started bleeding heavily during sexual contact and became unconscious. “She went unconscious due to excessive bleeding. Then I called three friends for help,” he said, adding that “We had been in a relationship for two years and used to meet occasionally.”

Police said that call details show the suspect contacted the other three youths at 8:25am.

The incident site is inside the Bhairab Community Forest, where Sahid Park has been built. Around 200 domestic tourists visit the area daily, according to available data.

The forest area remains busy with people going for morning walks and collecting grass. Around four months ago, a couple was found hanging in the same forest.

Local resident Kal Bahadur Gurung said disputes among youths occasionally took place in the area. Following such incidents, a temporary police post with six personnel led by a Police Head Constable has been set up at Sahid Park.

Over the death of Inisa, the victim’s family and several organisations have staged protests, concerning that the truth behind the incident has not been revealed even five days later.

Demonstrations were held in Birendranagar on Wednesday, demanding that the facts be made public and those responsible be given strict punishment. Tila and others also submitted a memorandum to the District Administration Office and the District Police Office.

“The culprits must be handed strict punishment. Police should not try to protect them. We will not receive the body until there is a guarantee of action,” said Ananta BK, a relative of the victim.

Chief Minister of Karnali Province, Yamalal Kandel also met the victim’s family on Wednesday. He ensured fair investigations, expressing the provincial government’s commitment to ensuring justice to the victim’s family.

Rights groups in the district have also submitted memorandums to the district administration and police offices demanding a fair investigation.

Demonstrations were also held in Maitighar in Kathmandu on Wednesday by various organisations demanding action against those involved in the death of Inisa.

“It is a very tragic, inhumane and condemnable incident,” said Narayan Subedi, Karnali provincial coordinator of the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), a human rights organisation. “The administration must launch an impartial investigation and bring those responsible to justice. Security arrangements, vigilance and awareness programmes must be strengthened to control sexual violence and crimes against women and girls.”