Police arrested 43-year-old Furinji Sherpa of Khijidemba Rural Municipality-9 on August 8 for the charge of physically torturing his four and six-year-old sons.
During the initial investigation, it was revealed that he had been torturing their sons and sending videos and photos of the abuse to his 35-year-old wife, Chhoti Sherpa, who is working abroad in Cyprus, as a way to express his anger towards her. In a conversation with an INSEC representative, Chhoti Sherpa mentioned that he used to torture their children and send pictures and videos as a way to express his anger and mental distress. It is reported that the accused repeatedly tortured the children because their house was in a secluded area. The last incident happened on August 4, and locals reported it to the police on August 7. Inspector Bijay Karki of the District Police Office stated that the investigation revealed the accused inhumanly tortured the children, as informed by the locals and discussions with the children’s mother. Inspector Karki said that, in addition to beating the children, the accused placed them in a large pot and tried to boil them with water, tied them with ropes hung them upside down, and subjected them to torture further. The locals stated that because the house in Khijidemba Rural Municipality-9 is isolated and not well-known, they were unaware of the situation, which allowed the accused to torture the children continuously. Chhoti Sherpa has called for strict action against 43-year-old Furinji Sherpa for torturing their sons and causing her mental distress. Ward Chairperson Nwangphuri Sherpa stated that the accused had been handed over to the police with assistance from the Khijidemba Rural Municipality-9 ward office.
The children have been kept in a safe house in Siddicharan Municipality-12 since August 7, managed by various organizations and local authorities. The health examination and treatment of the children were done at the District Hospital on August 9. Article 39 of the Constitution of Nepal provides an interpretation and provision for the rights of children. In sub-section 7 of the same article, it is mentioned that ‘No child shall be subjected to physical, mental or any other form of torture in home, school or other place and condition whatsoever.’