Anandi Sada death case: Police pressured family to accept body
Anandi was discovered hanging inside her home at around 3 PM on Tuesday.
KATHMANDU: The family of 24-year-old Anandi Devi Sada from Dhanwari Tole, Nawarajpur Rural Municipality-3, Siraha, has accused the police of pressuring them to accept her body after she was found dead under suspicious circumstances following an unresolved sexual abuse case.
Anandi was discovered hanging inside her home at around 3 PM on Tuesday.
Her body was sent to the Provincial Hospital in Lahan for postmortem, but her family has refused to receive it, citing lack of justice and accountability.
The victim’s family and Dalit community leaders are demanding an investigation and action against the police for allegedly shielding the accused and delaying legal proceedings.
In an effort to convince the family, Siraha Police Chief SP Anantaraj Sharma, along with Inspector Rabinraj Mainali from Maheshpur Patar Area Police Office, visited the victim’s home on Wednesday morning.
Anandi’s mother, Biltaun Sada, stated that the officers pressured them to travel in a police vehicle and collect the body from the hospital.
“They told us to come in the vehicle with them and receive the body,” she said. “But we want a clear commitment for legal action against those involved.”
SP Sharma, however, denied the accusation, “We went to understand the situation, not to pressure anyone. It’s a hot day today; maybe they’ll accept the body by tomorrow.”
Earlier, on Dec 24, Anandi had filed a complaint against two men from her village — 22-year-old Sanjeev Kumar Yadav and 32-year-old Shyamsundar Yadav — alleging attempted gang rape.
Despite lodging the complaint the same day, the police reportedly pressured the victim to settle the matter informally instead of initiating legal action.
Only after the family threatened to go to the media did police officially register the complaint, and that too after two and a half months, on March 9. However, even after the case was filed, the accused have not been arrested.
The case has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for justice for Dalit women, as well as accountability from the police.
