Activists and politicians are calling on the government in Nepal to enact stricter laws following the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl.
Protests have been ongoing in Nepal since last week, when the girl was found dead, three days after she went missing in the Madhes region.
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the case, local police told the BBC.
The crime has brought calls for reform to the forefront. At the same time, the police have been accused of negligence in the early stages of the investigation, after videos of a teenage suspect were leaked on social media.
After days of protests in the city of Simara, the victim’s family met with government ministers and secured a written agreement over the weekend.
The government promised to revise legislation on serious crimes and to erect a memorial in honor of the child.
The incident also sparked a broader debate about how Nepal deals with juvenile offenders.
“If other police officers are identified, they will also be punished. We have zero tolerance for such practices.”
According to the Nepal Police, from July 2017 to July 2025, more than 25,500 complaints of rape and sexual abuse were filed. Of these cases, more than 3,200 involved victims under the age of 10, according to the police.
Source: Proto Thema
