Nepalese citizens have protested for the third consecutive day following the rape and murder of a 3-year-old girl, demanding the government enact harsher laws to prevent such incidents from happening again.
On Monday, 24 Aug 2026 GMT+7, activists and politicians in Nepal called on the government to introduce stricter laws after the rape and murder of a 3-year-old girl sparked nationwide anger and continuous protests over three days.
The lifeless body of the 3-year-old girl was found last week, about three days after she went missing in Madhesh Province. So far, police have arrested nine suspects possibly connected to the case.
This crime has sparked calls for judicial reform, while police have been accused of neglecting their duties early in the investigation after a video of a juvenile suspect’s testimony leaked on social media.
Following several days of protests in Simara city, the victim’s family met with several ministers and reached a written agreement over the past weekend.
The government promised to review laws related to serious crimes and to build a memorial honoring the deceased girl.
The incident has also triggered a broad debate about how Nepal handles juvenile offenders, with some activists pushing for harsher penalties for youths convicted of rape or murder.
Kari, a prominent human rights activist and chairperson, said the crime is deeply painful and the government should punish all involved in this brutal act, pursuing serious reforms. However, he cautioned against calls to reinstate the death penalty.
Additionally, public outrage grew after a video showing a teenage suspect giving testimony about the murder was leaked online, raising questions about how footage of a detainee under police custody was leaked.
“So far, we have identified one police officer directly involved in the [video leak] and have begun disciplinary action,” said Tharmentra Kumar Misra, district chief of Bara, to the BBC.
“If more officers are found involved, they will also be punished. We have a zero-tolerance policy for such conduct.”
According to Nepalese police data, from July 2017 to July 2025, over 25,500 cases of rape and sexual abuse were reported, with more than 3,200 female victims under the age of 10.
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Source:bbc