February 18, Kathmandu
Police investigating the death of 17-year-old Rinkukumari Sada of Bhagwatipur Tamashuiya, Nawarajpur Rural Municipality-1, Siraha, have confirmed an attempt to suppress the case through bargaining.
A team led by Madhesh Province SSP Shantiraj Koirala is conducting an on-site investigation. Authorities have verified that a community meeting (panchayati) was held at midnight to negotiate a settlement, including monetary compensation.
“We have confirmed that a panchayati took place and that bargaining over compensation occurred,” SSP Koirala told Onlinekhabar. “The victim’s family also informed us about this, and we have found video and photo evidence of the gathering.”
Victim’s disappearance and allegations
Rinku, who lived with her mother, Sita Devi, and younger brother Bhula, left home around 9 pm on February 8 to use the toilet but did not return for six hours.
She was found crying outside her house at around 3 am the following morning. Upon returning home, she told her family that she had been gang-raped by three local men—Rupesh Mandal, Tinku Mandal, and Chandan Sah.
“She said they abducted her and took her to a bamboo grove, where they sexually assaulted her,” her family members recounted.
Three days later, on the night of February 12, Rinku was found dead, hanging in her tin-roofed house at 7:20 pm. A scarf was tied around her neck, suggesting suicide.
Community meeting to suppress the case
After Rinku disclosed the assault, a community gathering was held on February 11 in an attempt to suppress the incident. District Police Office Siraha DSP Birendra Kumar confirmed that the meeting took place but stated that an investigation is still ongoing into the monetary transaction.
Reports suggest that the family of the accused, Rupesh Mandal, had planned to offer Rs 150,000 as hush money. However, the victim’s family rejected the proposal, and the first panchayati meeting ended without a resolution. Another meeting was held the next day, February 12, shortly before Rinku was found dead.
Accused and community elders absconding
Most of the individuals involved in the panchayati have since gone into hiding. SSP Koirala’s team, which arrived at the scene on Monday, has been unable to locate them. “Those present at the panchayati are now absconding. We will identify them through photos and videos for questioning,” he stated.
While police confirmed that a panchayati was held, the exact number of participants remains uncertain. The victim’s family claimed that many people attended, but an official count has yet to be determined.
Among those reportedly present was ward member Nathuni Sah, along with Ramkripal Mandal, Rampreet Sah, and Rampukar Mandal. However, they, too, are now missing.
Three accused also on the run
The three men accused of rape—Rupesh, Tinku, and Chandan—are also absconding, and police have yet to arrest them. So far, the case has been registered as an abetment to suicide, but an official confirmation of rape is pending investigation.
Authorities have also revealed that Rupesh and Rinku were in a relationship. The victim’s family alleges that Rupesh’s family rejected Rinku due to her Dalit background, leading her to take her own life. Her uncle, Ram Sada, filed a case against the accused for abetment to suicide.
A post-mortem was conducted at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, but the report is still awaited. Police have stated that if rape is confirmed in the report, the investigation will proceed accordingly.
Meanwhile, Rinku’s father, Bijuliya Sada, who had been working in India, has returned home. The family, devastated by the tragedy, has since conducted her final rites but remains fearful and reluctant to speak publicly about the case.
