Artists Demand Justice for Inisha: Who Said What?

KATHMANDU – A wave of grief and indignation has swept through Nepal’s artistic community as prominent actors, singers, and filmmakers demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of those involved in the rape and murder of 16-year-old Inisha BK. The teenager, a resident of Surkhet, was found dead under horrific circumstances, sparking nationwide social media campaigns and physical protests at Maitighar Mandala.

Leading the outcry, actress Rekha Thapa shared the victim’s photograph across her social media platforms with a succinct but powerful plea: “Justice for Inisha.” Her sentiment was echoed by former Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada, who called for “uncompromising justice.” In a poignant post on X, Khatiwada questioned the systemic issues that allow such crimes to persist, writing, “I often wonder—we condemn rape, but why are we mostly silent toward the culture that gives birth to it? May justice come quickly and may her soul rest in peace.”

The emotional toll of the incident was evident in a statement by actress Barsha Raut, who expressed a sense of despair over the recurring nature of such violence. Drawing parallels between Inisha and previous victims like Nirmala Panta, Raut asked, “Until when? Must our daughters fight just for the basic right to stay alive?” Meanwhile, singer and actor Prakash Sapoot urged the state to adopt a “zero-tolerance” policy, insisting that the government must not seek excuses or legal loopholes to let the perpetrators escape.

Adding to the discourse on safety, filmmaker Rabindra Singh Baniya remarked that daughters in Nepal remain vulnerable at every stage of life—from the womb to the workplace. He challenged the moral fabric of a society that treats women as “toys for ego and power” rather than equal human beings. Supporting this call for systemic change, singers Eleena Chauhan and Rachana Rimal argued that until the legal system imposes the harshest possible penalties, including the death penalty, such “man-eating” behavior will not cease.

Actress Reema Bishwokarma confirmed that she has been in constant communication with the Nepal Police and the National Dalit Commission regarding the investigation. She emphasized that the state’s attention is firmly fixed on the case and urged the police to remain transparent and resistant to any external or political pressure. Other celebrities, including Keki Adhikari, Neeta Dhungana, Shiva Pariyar, and Tika Sanu, have also added their voices to the movement, insisting that national development is hollow without the protection of its citizens.

The tragedy began on the morning of March 7 (Falgun 23), when Inisha BK left her home in Birendranagar-1 for tuition classes but failed to return. Following a frantic search, she was discovered in a local community forest, bloodied and bearing signs of extreme physical trauma. Although she was rushed to a nearby hospital, doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.

Preliminary investigations by the Surkhet District Police indicate that the victim was raped before being murdered. Authorities have confirmed that four suspects have been taken into custody for questioning. As the investigation continues, protesters in Kathmandu have spent the last two days at Maitighar Mandala, vowing to continue their demonstration until the perpetrators are brought to account.