Kathmandu: Seven years have passed since the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta from Bhimdatta Municipality-2, Kanchanpur, yet the culprit remains unidentified, and the case continues to cast a shadow over Nepal's justice system.

On Shrawan 2075 BS (July 2018), Nirmala’s body was found in a sugarcane field near her home after she had gone to a friend’s house to do homework. The brutal crime sparked nationwide protests, demanding justice and accountability. Multiple investigation committees were formed, including a high-level government panel, teams from the National Human Rights Commission, and various police task forces.

Despite years of effort, police say they are still prioritizing the case. According to District Police Office spokesperson Sagar Bohara, “A total of 124 people have undergone DNA testing and 655 individuals have been interrogated. So far, 10 teams from the CIB have been deployed.”

One of the most controversial moments in the case came on Bhadra 4, 2075 BS, when police publicly named Dilip Singh Bista, a local man with reported mental illness, as the accused. This led to public outrage, as many believed the police were attempting a cover-up. Bista was later released after the government prosecutor's office found the evidence insufficient.

The continued failure to bring justice has eroded public trust in law enforcement, and Nirmala's case remains a symbol of systemic failure in protecting and delivering justice to victims of sexual violence.

With no resolution in sight, the call for truth, justice, and accountability in the Nirmala Panta case grows louder each year.