Student wings of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) on Thursday vociferously demanded the dismissal of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sarbendra Khanal over Nepal Police’s lackadaisical approach and failure to arrest the culprits involved in Nirmala Pant’s rape and murder.
Student wings – All Nepal National Independent Students Union (ANNISU) and All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) – met with Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa on Thursday and submitted a memorandum demanding the dismissal of IGP Khanal, the major point of their seven-point demandsCiting his incompetent leadership in investigating Nirmala Pant’s rape and murder as well as other criminal cases, the student unions demanded the immediate removal of Khanal. This is first time that an allied organisation of the ruling party has demanded the resignation of the police chief.
Speaking to the Post, ANNISU Chairperson Ranjit Tamang said, “IGP Khanal has been unable to prove his leadership. The investigating officers were found mishandling the evidences of the crime. No action has been taken against the accused officers.”
The student’s organisations have also demanded the government to re-investigate the case of Bam sisters – Babita Bam and Roshani Bam – as Nirmala was seen with them for the last time. ANNFSU Chairperson Nabina Lama told the Post, “The lust for power, money, personal relations and politics has made the police force rotten from inside. The lack of leadership and failure to rise above such lust has affected the justice for general public.”