Ex-chief justice Karki likely to head caretaker government in Nepal
Kathmandu (PTI): Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki is likely to be appointed as the head of a caretaker government in Nepal, which would conduct fresh elections, addressing the demands of the agitating group, according to sources.
Talks among various stakeholders, including representatives of the Gen Z group -- which spearheaded the anti-government protests -- the Army chief, and President Ramchandra Paudel, ended inconclusively at Thursday midnight.
However, the youth-led Gen Z group proposed Karki's name for the post of new prime minister, multiple sources said.
President Paudel is expected to appoint Karki as the first female prime minister of Nepal on Friday morning.
The president is currently holding consultations with various political leaders as well as constitutional experts to find a way out of the current political impasse, according to sources close to the president.
Two options were considered for forming the new government: dissolving Parliament or retaining it. However, the agitating group has agreed to seek a solution within the constitutional framework.
Meanwhile, the overnight curfew has been relaxed for four hours from 7 am to 11 am to allow people time to ease into daily life.
Restrictive orders will be in place across the country from 11 am to 5 pm, followed by a two-hour window before curfew resumes from 7 pm to 6 am the next day.
Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli quit on Tuesday shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation for the death of at least 19 people in police action during Monday's protests over corruption and a social media ban. The ban on social media was lifted Monday night.
President Paudel has accepted Oli's resignation but stated that the cabinet led by him will continue to run the government until a new Council of Ministers is formed.
According to the Ministry of Health, the number of people killed so far during the protests held on Monday and Tuesday has risen to 34.
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NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
