Disappearance of Chhori Maiya Maharjan

Chhori Maiya Maharjan
Born1960 or 1961 (age 64–65)
DisappearedFebruary 18, 2012 (aged 51)
Kathmandu
StatusMissing for 13 years, 10 months and 1 day

Chhori Maiya Maharjan, a resident of Kathmandu went missing on 18 February 2012[1] when she was 51 years old. In 2021, her case was listed as one of the twelve most mysterious missing persons cases of Nepal in recent history.[2]

Early response

The Ministry of Home Affairs formed a committee on 12 August 2012 led by Gokarna Mani Duwadi, Joint Secretary of the ministry, which was supposed to submit a report within seven days.[3]

One year later

One year after she went missing, in 2013, Asian Human Rights Commission issued an appeal for a stronger investigation into the disappearance.[4]

Two years later

Two years after she went missing, in 2014, Asian Human Rights Commission issued an open letter demanding justice.[5] On 2 June 2014, Kathmandu District Court on Monday gave a clean chit to Nikki Singh, the prime suspect accused in the disappearance.[1] The family members condemned the judgement as partial.[6] It was also reported that the court arrived at its judgement at 9:50 pm, while the working hours are only until 5 pm, and the judge did not grant permission for overtime work.[7]

Investigation

It was revealed that the prime suspect Nikki Singh owed Maharjan around 5 million. The investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that Maharjan was forcefully disappeared, and that there’s strong evidence of Singh's involvement.[7]

2021 resurge

The case resurged on social media in 2021. On 31 July 2021, a Facebook page Routine of Nepal Banda posted about the then-ten year old case. It led to an upsurge in research about the case. The #JusticeForChhorimaiyaMaharjan hashtag trended for weeks in Nepal the same month. An online media presence Ukera dedicated several investigative articles to the case.[8] It also marked attempts of cyber hacking to take down the website of Ukera.[9]

People over social media called out celebrities Priyanka Karki and Zenisha Moktan on their involvement in the case, as Nikki Singh was Karki Singh's niece and Moktan was her sister's husband's daughter in law.[8]

Active campaigns

As of 2021, a petition was launched demanding re-opening of the case.[10] A pressure committee namely Chhori Maiya Khoji Dabab Samuha (Chhori Maiya Search Pressure Committee) is active on Facebook.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Chhori Maiya disappearance case: Court clears prime accused". The Kathmandu Post. Ekantipur Report. 3 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  2. ^ "12 most mysterious cases in Nepal's recent history". Online Khabar. September 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  3. ^ "State remains unresponsive to the missing person Chhori Maiya Maharjan, and her family wants to know where she is". Asian Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  4. ^ "One year on, no progress in the investigations into Chhori Maiya Maharjan's disappearance". Asian Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Two years after her kidnapping and disappearance, what can we do to find out what happened to our mother Chhori Maiya Maharjan?". Asian Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Then where is Chhori Maiya Maharjan?". Scoop. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Where is Chhori Maiya?". Nepali Times. 10 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b Shrestha, Umesh (9 August 2021). "दस वर्षपछि एक्कासि कसरी चर्चामा आयो छोरीमैयाँ केस ?". Ukera. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  9. ^ "उकेराको सर्भरमा निरन्तर आक्रमण, केन्या र उज्वेकिस्तानको आइपीबाट ह्याकको प्रयास". Ukera. 19 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Re-open Chhori Maiya Maharjan's Case". Change Dot Org. Archived from the original on 2021-11-22. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  11. ^ "छोरी मैया खोजी दबाब समूह". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2021-11-22. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
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