In Kathmandu, rallies started at Kalimati, New Baneshwar and Ratnapark to converged at the Metropolitan Police Range Office at Hanumandhoka where they demanded the severest punishment for the main accused, Biren Shrestha (Pradhan). [break]
Rally participants demanded the capital punishment for the accused and a strong law against such crime, according to Superintendent of Police Nawaraj Silwal.
“They even demanded that the accused be shown to them so that they could be certain he is in detention,” said Silwal. “We assured them that justice would be done.”
The protesters remained around the police range office for over an hour before leaving.
Rallies were also organized in the victim´s hometown, Biratnagar, where students attended only half the classes of the day and then came out onto the streets. They demanded that the government make provisions for fool-proof security for students.
“Make sure that we don´t face a fate similar to Khyati´s,” said Reshma Kafle, student of Janaki English Boarding School. “These days, we feel afraid while going to and coming from school,” she added.
The rally that started at Tinpaini Chowk went through various parts of the city.
“The rally was a spontaneous outpouring,” said Madhav Prasad Khatiwada, office secretary of the Private and Boarding Schools´ Association. He added that following the killing studies have been affected at schools in Biratnagar due to fear among students.
Students of nearly 30 private schools participated in the rally. Meanwhile, Siddhartha Shishu Sadan, where Khyati Shrestha studied till grade 10, is still in shock.
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