About two hundred protesters marched from Maitighar Mandala to New Baneshwor on Saturday, demanding justice for Nirmala Pant, the 13-year-old girl who was raped and subsequently murdered in Kanchanpur.

The protesters also demanded immediate arrests of the culprits and pressured the government to sack Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sarbendra Khanal.

Saturday marks 72 days since Pant’s body was discovered in a sugarcane field the day after she went missing and questions have been raised over authorities for their serious mishandling during investigation and safeguarding culprits.

Protesters carried placards that read ‘Rape is increasing, Shame on you government’, “Home Minister’s action, Rapist protection”, ‘Government is kneeling before the rapists” and “Helpless government, end women violence” among many others to show their disappointment towards the government.

Speaking at the protest, Naya Shakti Nepal-Party central committee member Kalpana Dhamal accused the government of protecting SP Dilli Raj Bista despite suggestions that he had tampered with evidence. “SP Bista and Bam sisters have not been interrogated well. Responsible bodies have been irresponsible,” said Dhamala.

SP Bista, who was suspended following a botched probe, is currently under investigation of the probe committee headed by AIG Dhiru Basnyat whereas the Bam sisters have already been released.

Speaking to the Post, Nepali Congress central committee member Gagan Thapa said, “The government has neither been able to arrest the culprit nor take action against the police officials behind mishandling the evidence, leading to the public uproar. Arresting the culprits at the earliest is the only way to regain their image.”

The protesters also criticised the female leaders in the government for their aloofness despite the situation when females are begging in the streets for protection to remain safe.

Reminding the mum female politicians about their responsibilities, actress Rekha Thapa said, “Female politicians, who we believe will represent our voice to mount pressure on the government to arrest the culprits, have let us down.”

“Is their post greater than raising voice for the government to take steps to safeguard women and children?” questioned Thapa, who is also a central committee member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Claiming that the culprits are being protected by corrupt politicians, the protesters vowed to continue protests until those guilty are arrested and brought to justice.