Bini Dahal

There was a time when rape incidents were rarely heard of in the Nepali society. But as time has progressed, instead of being free from such a heinous social crime, the country sees an increasing number of rape cases. This has forced us to question ourselves: Is the society really heading towards doom?
Just few days ago, the body of Bhagirathi Bhatta, 17, from Chadepani of Dogadakedar Rural Municipality-7 in Baitadi district, was found lying in a forest. Her body was semi-naked and bruise-filled. The postmortem report has shown that the girl was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death.
The brutal killing has shocked the whole country. Many have pointed out similarities between this incident and that of the killing Nirmala Panta in 2018. Panta was also raped and murdered.
As the perpetrator has yet to be identified, Bhagirathi's family has made it clear that they will not receive the body until those behind the crime are not brought to justice. For the perpetrator to be caught, the police have formed a special probe team. An investigation is now underway. But as of Thursday, the police have not found any reliable clues to reach the perpetrators.
As the investigation continues with no lead, locals are worried that the culprits may escape. This incident has also created a big sense of fear and trauma among girls and their parents. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed its serious concern about the gruesome rape and murder. It has asked the government and the police to ensure a fair and effective investigation into the case. It has also called on the government to protect the witness and provide relief to the victim’s family.
For now, all we can do is be hopeful that the investigation will be successful in catching and punishing the culprits. It is quite saddening to know that girls and women are no longer safe in the so-called modern society. Neither are we safe nor do we get justice easily and promptly. We have seen how families of the victims fight for justice till their last breath. Yet, their plights are never heard. And this is very disheartening. It is important for the government to have a proper support system for citizens and ensure equality and stability in the society.
Till date, we have always raised our voices only after such incidents have happened. Such actions catch our attention late. There has been a continuous reporting of a special probe team that is working to restore people's faith in laws. But is this enough? How can we forget the safety of women in the first place? It will be a futile effort if we only try finding solutions to the problems that could have been prevented beforehand.
In view of a series of such crimes taking place time and again across the country, it is advised that the government gives greater importance to protecting girls and women. Unless and until the patriarchal social beliefs and values are prevalent, the safety of girls and women is still a far cry. And the vicious cycle will continue. Isn't it time to protect another girl from becoming Nirmala or the victim of this incident? We need to immediately rethink of it and step up more effective measures to deal with such a grave issue.