Mass protests have erupted across Nepal following the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl, with Prime Minister Balendra "Balen" Shah facing mounting criticism over the police response. The toddler, identified locally as Garima Chaudhary, went missing from her home in Bara district, about 127 miles from Kathmandu, on August 16. Her body was found three days later at an abandoned house after neighbours reported a foul smell. Officials confirmed she had been raped before her death, and nine people have been arrested in connection with the case.
Police accused of slow response
Anger has grown over claims that police failed to act quickly when the girl first vanished. The victim's family say they raised the alarm immediately but were turned away by officers. A family member told local media: "I raised the matter with the police. But they said they could not proceed merely on what I was saying, and asked me to file a formal complaint by naming suspects."
Local lawmaker Rahbar Ansari, who represents Bara, also criticised the police response, claiming officers took a full day to act. "Police did not search for the body. For 24 hours after being informed that the child was missing, no police personnel were mobilised," he told local media. "Only after neighbours noticed a smell did police and a sniffer dog arrive."
Protesters demand tougher laws
Since the discovery of the body, protesters have blocked roads and demanded tougher laws and harsher punishments for sex offenders. A second wave of anger broke out after a video circulated online showing a young suspect making a statement about the alleged attack, raising questions about how footage of someone in police custody ended up in public circulation.
The backlash comes at a difficult moment for PM Shah, who built his political career as an outsider ready to shake up Nepal's old guard. The former Kathmandu mayor came to power after last September's Gen-Z protests toppled the government of KP Sharma Oli, later winning 182 seats in parliament with his Rastriya Swatantra Party to become prime minister.
Wider public frustration
His government has faced mounting criticism in recent months. In late July, three people died in communal clashes between Muslim and Hindu communities in the Sunsari area. Shah was criticised for only addressing the nation after Rabi Lamichhane, leader of the ruling party, had already begun holding meetings and the home minister had travelled to the affected area.
His administration has also faced protests over the clearing of squatter communities along riverbanks, as well as the death of 25-year-old app-based driver Ganesh Nepali, who set himself on fire following a confrontation with Kathmandu city police. The rape and murder of the three-year-old has now become a flashpoint for wider public frustration, with critics accusing Shah's government of being too slow to respond to serious crises since taking office.
