On December 2, 2025 INSEC Lumbini Province Office, Nepalgunj, with the support of DC Nepal, provided financial assistance to the families of Anju Tharu, 22 and Kanchharam Tharu, 61 who died by suicide on November 8 in Bardiya after being neglected by their families. This assistance was provided through the Human Rights Assistance Desk under the protection project.
Due to lack of socio-economic and political access, Anju’s family faced extreme hardship. INSEC Bardiya representatives handed over Rs. 10,000 to her family to help them access justice.
Anju, married at a young age, became a mother on December 10, 2018. After her daughter’s birth, she was neglected by her husband and in-laws, prompting her to return to her parental home on January 1, 2020. Due to her family’s weak financial situation, Anju began doing daily wage labor. As her family did not take care of her or her daughter, she filed a property share case in Bardiya District Court on January 22. On November 6, 2022, she won the case before Judge Tekraj Joshi.
“Anju’s husband, Anil Tharu, had married her as a child. Despite becoming a mother at a young age, their marriage was not officially registered, and she did not have a citizenship certificate. As a result, even after the court ruling, Anju was denied her share of property. Without citizenship, she had to work as a laborer. After the court decision, Anju initiated the process for citizenship recommendation. However, the ward office refused to issue the recommendation, citing missing documents. On January 8, 2025, she went to the District Administration Office, Bardiya, with a ward recommendation to obtain citizenship. The then Assistant Chief District Officer told her that taking citizenship from her parental home could create problems later and advised including her husband’s name. The ward office did not issue the recommendation, preventing her from obtaining citizenship,” recounted her brother, Barun.
Even after receiving the court verdict on January 21, 2025, the ward office showed no interest when Anju approached them. The lack of marriage registration, citizenship, and her daughter’s birth certificate led Anju to take her own life on November 8, 2025, followed by her father, who also died by suicide in grief.
Anju’s husband, Anil Tharu, currently living in Banke, continues to neglect his responsibilities and refuses to register their daughter’s birth. Her parental family has filed a complaint at the Mainapokhar Police Station against those responsible for forcing Anju to commit suicide. The police have not yet arrested the accused, keeping their identities confidential.
INSEC provided financial support and assistance to pursue legal proceedings in this case, where family neglect, lack of marriage registration, and absence of citizenship and birth registration contributed to the tragic deaths of the father and daughter.