The family of 13-year-old Anshu Gautam of Letang Municipality-2, Morang, have been refusing to receive her body for the last four weeks, demanding that the authorities first identify those involved in her death.

Anshu had left home on the afternoon of October 7, the day of Kojagrat Purnima, telling her family she was going out to play. When she did not return by evening, relatives and neighbours searched the area and later filed a missing person report with the police.

Eighteen days after the report was filed, on October 24, locals discovered a severely decomposed body in the Chisang community forest, about four kilometres from her home. The body—found with the head detached and in an unrecognisable state—was identified by the family through her clothing and footwear.

Her family alleges that Anshu was raped and murdered, insisting they will not collect the body from Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences until the perpetrators are arrested. “We will not take the body unless the guilty are brought to justice,” said her father, Navin Gautam.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kavita Katwal, chief of Morang district police, said the investigation is being undertaken with “microscopic scrutiny” and the facts will be made public as soon as possible. Police teams from Morang District Police Office, Province Police and the Crime Investigation Bureau are involved in the probe.

Postmortem findings have not revealed the cause of death, though the report states Anshu died approximately two weeks before her body was found. DNA and forensic test results are still awaited.

“We will reach a conclusion once we get all the reports. Some suspects are already under investigation,” said SSP Katwal.

Relatives say they are determined to get justice for Anshu. “Our daughter will not return, but her killers must be punished,” said her uncle, Damodar Gautam.

Local residents say children in the Letang area fear going out since the incident.