Police in Dailekh have arrested a 49-year-old man on charges of repeatedly raping his 12-year-old daughter. The arrest was made on a tip-off from the victim’s maternal aunt, based in Kuwait, through a WhatsApp voice call.

The case surfaced after Mukunda Prasad Rijal, chief of the Nepal Police Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office in Karnali Province, Surkhet, made contacts of his office public on social media, urging people to report complaints and misconduct.

On April 27, Rijal received a call from a woman in Kuwait, who reported that her niece had been sexually abused by her father for around a year. She later shared further details via WhatsApp.

Rijal forwarded the information to provincial police chief Jaya Raj Sapkota, who directed the District Police Office in Dailekh to investigate. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ganesh Bahadur Baral then instructed the Area Police Office, Naumule, to verify the allegation.

A team led by Inspector Raj Kumar Thapa reached the location and confirmed the abuse during the initial investigation. The victim was rescued, and the accused father was taken into custody.

Police said the man has been charged with rape and incest and has been remanded by the Dailekh District Court for further investigation.

Preliminary findings suggest the abuse began around July 2025.

The victim’s mother told police she was aware of the abuse but did not report it due to threats from her husband. She said he frequently consumed alcohol and assaulted family members. She was the primary earner in the low-income household.

Police said injuries were found on the girl’s lower body. A medical report is awaited. The child is receiving care at a social organisation in Dailekh.

The mother later disclosed the abuse after counselling from police and social workers. The victim told investigators that her father repeatedly assaulted her and threatened her into silence.

According to the mother’s statement, the abuse began when she was staying in a separate hut during menstruation, while the children slept with their father. She said the father, often intoxicated, first assaulted the girl at that time and continued the abuse afterwards.

She said that one night the girl suddenly screamed, which is when she became aware of the abuse. However, she did not report it at the time, saying her husband threatened to kill both her and the child if she spoke out.

The mother said the man’s behaviour became increasingly violent over time. Unable to seek help locally, she eventually informed her sister in Kuwait, who alerted authorities.

According to police, the accused, who is in police custody, told investigators he was intoxicated at the time and mistook his daughter for his wife.