KALIKOT, June 7: Terming it as a murder and nothing else, Dalit activists in Kalikot have demanded due action against the accused for killing Mana Sarki, ward member of Naraharinath Rural Municipality - 9. They have handed over a memorandum to the District Administration Office urging justice to the victim's family. 

Relief to Sarki's family, declaring her a martyr, booking the accused without any delay, safeguarding the rights and dignity of Dalits, among others have been cited as the major demands in the memorandum. 

Sarki had died on Saturday at round 11 pm after being reportedly beaten by her neighbors, the Shahi family. Rajindra and Srijana Shahi, the daughters of Kammar Shahi, had beaten her 'for having an affair with their father'. Even though it apparently looks like a murder case, and the family of the deceased has claimed it to be so, police have said that the matter is still under investigation.

According to District Police Chief DSP Subhas Bohora, they will be able to speak clearly about the case only after receiving the postmortem report. "It will take a few more days," he says. Rajindra and Srijana are in police custody. 

On the other hand, Dalit activists have demanded a high-level probe committee to investigate the case. Members of the Dalit Mahila Sangh and Nepal Rastriya Dalit Samaj Kalyan Sangh, among others had taken to streets protesting 'the murder'.  Last rites of Sarki performed though the post mortem report is yet to be made public, the kin of the deceased have received her body and performed her final rites on Wednesday. 

"We are poor people. The high caste and powerful people attacked her and killed her. It is a murder case. We want justice. We could not even report to the police on time or perform her final rites immediately because my brother was not here," said Champe Sarki, brother-in-law of the deceased. "We want justice," he added.

 
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