Summary of the Report
Editorial review completed.
- The investigation into the rape and murder of 16-year-old Inisa is in its final phase, with plans to file charges against all four accused.
- The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) team has returned to Kathmandu after completing their probe, while the District Police Office in Surkhet awaits three laboratory reports.
- The victim’s family has taken a firm stance refusing to cremate Inisa’s body until justice is served, as nationwide protests demanding justice continue.
March 23 (10 Chaitra), Surkhet – The investigation into the rape and murder of 16-year-old Inisa Bika remains unfinished. Inisa, who died on 23 Falgun, has been held in the morgue of Karnali Province Hospital for 18 days.
Her body has been waiting for justice for the past 18 days. The victim’s family refuses to proceed with the cremation unless justice is delivered for their daughter.
“Our daughter’s life is lost; what purpose would it serve to perform her last rites now? We have decided not to claim her body until the perpetrators are punished,” said Indra Bahadur Bika, Inisa’s father. “Delay in justice is equivalent to denial of justice. We urge for swift justice.”
Across the country, protests and pressure campaigns continue to demand justice for Inisa. The family remains dissatisfied as the full details have yet to be publicly disclosed even after 18 days.
With the delay in justice, Indra Bahadur, who works in Dubai, is nearing the end of his leave. “My holiday is over. I invested in going to Dubai for work, with good salary and benefits,” he said. “The cremation has not yet taken place here, yet they have begun summoning me there.”
Though his daughter is no longer alive, he must return abroad for his son and family’s support. However, he has started doubting whether his daughter will ever receive justice. “The police have not provided clear information about the case so far. It seems the incident is becoming mysterious,” he added.
Immediately following the incident, the victim’s family registered charges of murder and rape against all four accused, claiming it was a case of gang rape followed by murder. On 23 Falgun, police detained a 16-year-old boy on charges of rape at the crime scene. Based on his statement, three other individuals were also taken into custody for investigation.
CIB Completes Investigation and Returns
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) team that came to Surkhet for the probe into Inisa’s case has returned to Kathmandu.
DSP Mahonjang Budhathapa, information officer of Surkhet District Police Office, stated, “The CIB team completed their investigation and returned to Kathmandu on Sunday. We are in the final phase of the investigation and are awaiting two laboratory reports.”
Following nationwide protests demanding truth and justice for Inisa involving schools, students, and social organizations, the Surkhet Police requested additional support from CIB on 28 Falgun. From 29 Falgun, a specialized team led by a police inspector has been working on the investigation.
The District Police Office had already completed its first phase of investigation. Considering the severity of the case, they sought assistance from the CIB for the further probe. Meanwhile, the District Police Office has formed a separate team to work on the investigation concurrently.
In total, four teams from Nepal Police, including the CIB, have conducted investigations into this incident.
Current Status of Investigation
The investigation into the Inisa case is in its concluding stage. The CIB has submitted its report to the Surkhet Police.
According to DSP Budhathapa, the police have completed all investigative work except for three pending reports: toxicological, viscera, and bio-serological. The investigation will conclude once these reports are received. “The postmortem, CIB, and digital reports are already in. The forensic report is also expected soon,” he said.
The postmortem report indicates that Inisa died due to severe injuries to her sensitive organs resulting in excessive bleeding after forced sexual intercourse.
The youth arrested at the scene stated that he lost consciousness due to heavy bleeding during intercourse with Inisa. The other three accused claimed they were only there to assist.
The police have confirmed that the statements of the youth and details from security camera timings and call records align with each other.
Charges to be Filed Against All Four Accused
Authorities are preparing to file charges against all four accused in connection with Inisa’s case. Statements and forensic test reports of all detained individuals are ready for submission to the government attorney’s office.
“We have completed 99 percent of the investigation. In the next day or two, all reports will be sent to the government attorney,” said an officer involved in the investigation.
The 16-year-old boy detained was reportedly in a consensual relationship with Inisa for some time and had gone to the forest near Shaheed Park on the morning of 23 Falgun.
According to his statement, the sexual contact was consensual until he suddenly lost consciousness due to Inisa’s heavy bleeding. “When Inisa stopped responding, I became frightened and called my friends,” he said.
The other three youths reportedly arrived only to provide assistance. Based on statements and CCTV footage, the timeline matches according to police, though their involvement remains unconfirmed.
The police also stated that charges will be filed against the three as well for failure to report the incident to authorities promptly.
