A committee formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the instructions of the Prime Minister has gone to Bardiya to investigate the incident in which a father and daughter committed suicide after the local body and administration discriminated against women in granting citizenship.

Anju Tharu, 21, of Badhaiyatal-4, South Bhakari, Bardiya, had been neglected by her husband, but she could not get her share due to lack of citizenship. The ward and district administration not only refused to grant her citizenship, but also refused to register Anju's daughter's birth.

Unable to bear the discrimination over citizenship, Anju committed suicide at home on 22 Kartik, while her father, 61-year-old Kanchha Tharu, who had been fighting for justice with her, also followed his daughter's path four days later.

After the news was published in Kantipur Daily about Anju and her father Kanchha choosing the path of death due to discrimination over citizenship, Home Minister Omprakash Aryal had formed an investigation committee after Prime Minister Sushila Karki took an interest and directed it. The committee formed on Sunday left for Bardiya on Tuesday for an on-site inspection.

Home Spokesperson Anand Kafle informed that the committee formed to investigate the incident has left for Bardiya. "An investigation committee has been formed under the coordination of Suresh Panthi, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Head of the Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division, and includes Kulshekhar Aryal, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry, and Ashok Kumar Bhandari, Assistant CDO of Bardiya. Coordinator Panthi and another member Aryal have left for Bardiya from Kathmandu," Kafle said. The committee has been given a deadline and mandate to conduct a fair and truthful investigation into the incident and submit a report within five days.

Prime Minister Karki had even apologized on behalf of the state for the incident in which a daughter and father chose the path of death while struggling for citizenship after the news was published in the Kantipur daily. "If this situation has arisen due to judicial-administrative confusion, I apologize as the Prime Minister of the country and have instructed the Honorable Home Minister to go into the depths of this incident and study it," Prime Minister Karki said. "Any kind of discrimination and violence on the basis of citizenship, including gender, is not acceptable."

The Bardiya Police Administration has also initiated an investigation into the incident. The District Police Office, Bardiya, has issued an arrest warrant against Anju's husband, Anil Tharu, and has initiated an investigation. Bardiya Police Chief SP Saroj Poudel said that a case of abetment to suicide has been registered against Anil, the husband of the deceased Anju.

"We have registered a case of abetment to suicide against Anil, and an investigation is underway after the relatives of the deceased filed a complaint. We are also working on how to solve the girl's safety and livelihood,' SP Poudel said, 'After Anju's death and before the complaint was filed, Anil had already fled, the police are searching for him.'

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission is also seriously studying the issue of the father and daughter committing suicide due to the negligence of the government structure for obtaining citizenship. Commission spokesperson Tikaram Pokharel says, 'The commission has taken the incident seriously after it became public, and the Nepalgunj office of the commission is studying this incident. After the report is prepared, it comes to the central office, and then the commission recommends action against the culprits.'

Anju had a love affair with Anil when she was 14. Anju became pregnant as a result of their relationship. After that, Anil took Anju to a temple, married her and brought her into his house when she was 15. Anju gave birth to a daughter on 24 Mangsir 2075. 

Anil had started neglecting Anju after her daughter was born. Unable to bear her husband's abuse, Anju returned to her parents' house on 14 Poush 2076. When Anil did not want to continue the relationship, Anju filed a case in the Bardiya District Court on 8 Magh 2076 demanding a share. Although Anil claimed that the child born to Anju was not his daughter, Anil hesitated when the court ordered a DNA test, and he was not ready.

The court did not annul the marriage, saying that no complaint had been filed by anyone even though both of them were underage. The Bardiya District Court ruled that Anju would get a share. The judgment states, ‘Although there is a provision that marriage cannot be performed until the age of 20, a minor daughter has been born to them, it is not seen that anyone has annulled the marriage, the defendants have accepted the partition order issued by this court, and it is seen that plaintiff Anju has demanded a share from defendant Anil for her livelihood, it is clear that they are entitled to a share since they have no other option for livelihood.’ 

After the court order, Anju was reluctant to give a share to her, citing the fact that citizenship had not been acquired and the marriage had not been registered. Her daughter’s birth had also not been registered. Anju reached the ward office with the court’s decision. The ward did not start the process of granting citizenship, and her daughter’s birth registration also got stuck. Even though Anju and her father visited the ward office repeatedly, citizenship was not obtained.

Anju had also tried to obtain citizenship through her relatives. She had registered an application for citizenship in the ward on 24 Poush 2081. The process had progressed and reached the district administration office. But the process was canceled because the married woman was trying to obtain citizenship from her relatives. Anju committed suicide after not being able to obtain citizenship from anywhere, not getting a share, and not even having a birth certificate for her daughter. Four days later, her father also committed suicide.