Relatives demand DNA tests for SP, DSP

KANCHANPUR, Sept 13: Neighbors and relatives of Nirmala Panta, who was raped and murdered over a month ago, have demanded the arrest of the entire police team involved, accusing them of trying to cover up the truth regarding the incident. They have demanded investigations into the police team for their 'obvious efforts to protect the real culprit'.

According to them, the truth would come out only if the police team, including then SP Dilli Bista and DSP Angur Joshi and another DSP Gyan Bahadur Sethi, are investigated under custody.“There is no sign of those responsible for my daughter's rape and murder being arrested even after 48 days. So far, we have only seen the police attempting to deliberately frame the innocent and save the real culprits,” said Nirmala's mother Durga Devi Panta.

Stating that police are clearly involved in the incident, she demanded an investigation of the police team itself. “When we went to the police to report the disappearance of my daughter and requested them to promptly investigate the case, they instead resorted to threatening us. Such behavior by the police seems very suspicious and we believe they are playing games to protect the culprit,” she added. Nirmala's father Yagyaraj Panta said the police themselves could have committed the heinous crime. “Failure to find the culprit even after such a long period of time indicates that someone in the police could be the culprit.

After all, they were involved in destroying evidence from the site.”The relatives, in their relentless pursuit of justice , also demanded DNA tests on SP Bista, DSP Joshi and DSP Sethi. “The trio needs to be relived of their duties, kept under custody and duly investigated as we suspect that they were definitely involved,” said Nirmala's uncle Keshav Bhandari. “Their DNA tests should be carried out and call details checked thoroughly.”Police came under further condemnation after they arrested mentally unstable Dillip Singh Bista and claimed that he was the main suspect in the case.

However, they released him on Tuesday after his DNA failed to match DNA samples found on the raped girl.DSP Krishna Ojha, coordinator of the investigation committee, said they would conduct DNA testing on all suspects regardless of their position or power.                        

 
• nirmala
 
• police-team
 
• investigation