Six Years On, Justice Eludes Nirmala Pant's Family

Kanchanpur  — It has been six years since the tragic rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant from Bhimdatta Municipality-2 in Kanchanpur.

Nirmala disappeared on 10 Shrawan 2075 after leaving her friend's house. Her body was discovered the following day in a sugarcane field, one kilometer from her home. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Police identified local resident Dilipsingh Bista as the accused about a month after the incident.

However, this accusation was met with strong protests from the local community, who insisted Bista was innocent. The investigation faced a major setback when DNA evidence from the crime scene did not match Bista's, raising further doubts about his involvement.

Over the past six years, the police have collected DNA samples from more than one hundred individuals and conducted laboratory tests. Despite detaining and questioning a dozen suspects, the real perpetrator remains at large.

The District Police Office in Kanchanpur has stated that the investigation is ongoing and they are exploring various angles in an effort to bring Nirmala's murderer to justice.