Additional Suffering for Victims’ Families: What Is the Process for Action Against Perpetrators?

Prime Minister Walendra Shah Balen addressed the situation following the devastating floods with a post on social media on Saturday, stating, “During this extremely sensitive time, those making unnecessary comments, harassing, and adding to the pain of suffering people are criminals. The government will take stringent measures against these offenders.” This message was directed toward the families of individuals missing after the massive flood caused by a glacier collapse on September 26, which affected the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.

As the government continues search, rescue, and relief operations, families have expressed frustrations that have sometimes faced negative commentary on social media. Numerous videos and comments circulating online have contained inappropriate and offensive remarks targeting flood victims. In response, the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau has confirmed it is actively investigating these incidents.

A few days ago, a woman affected by the flood expressed to the government that if experts and equipment had been deployed sooner, her missing family member might have been found alive. However, she later called back to request her complaint not be shared publicly, saying, “Please do not show the complaint I made to the government. There are many harsh comments on social media. We are experiencing additional pain on top of our suffering.”

One viral video on social media features a woman voicing her frustration over the government’s lack of urgency in searching for her missing husband and family members. She said, “The child is going to give ashes [possibly indicating a funeral ritual]. I have pleaded with many to send help, but where am I supposed to go? What do we have in this country? Is this a government? We brought our minor child and said ‘please help,’ but no one listened.”

Prime Minister Balen has emphasized that the government will take strict actions against those who inflict further pain on the victims. Those who exploit social media to defame others or post abusive comments may face prosecution under Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act 2063 (2006). Cyber Bureau spokesperson Dilip Kumar Giri shared that a team of ten personnel is investigating the matter thoroughly. “Even without formal complaints, we are proactively conducting investigations,” he stated.