8-year-old girl kept tied with a rope

By Yagya Prasad Sapkota ,Gulariya, Apr. 27: An eight-year-old girl, who should be frolicking with her friends as freely as a bird in the sky, has been found tied up with a rope. 

A minor girl from a poor family in Madhuwan Municipality-5 of Bardiya has been living tied inside a goat shed for the past five years. 

Due to her mental and physical health issues, her family struggled to care for her, forcing them to keep her confined in the goat shed.

During the daytime heat, she was lying inside a small enclosure built within a thatched shed. 

She was tied with a cloth and appeared to be in a very pitiful condition. Outside, cattle were making noise, while the girl remained silent.

When the cattle reacted to the presence of unfamiliar people and made noise, the girl woke up. At that moment, she appeared fragile. Her mother, Parbati Gaha Magar, took her out of the shed and gave her water. 

According to the family, the girl initially showed minor health problems, but gradually became difficult to control. At first, she was tied to a bed or a tree, but as she began to run away, go missing and display unpredictable behaviour, the family felt compelled to keep her in the goat shed.

“We do not have the money for treatment, and if left free, she runs away,” her said Parbati wiping her tears. “We do not wish to keep her tied like this, but we have no choice.”

The girl fell ill at around two and a half years of age. After developing a high fever, she was taken to Nepalgunj for treatment. However, later she began to experience paralysis in her limbs, tremors, and abnormal behaviour, according to the family. 

They also sought traditional healing and basic treatment in Kallugaudi, India, which led to some improvement, but they were unable to continue treatment due to financial constraints.

The family says the girl sometimes behaves normally, but at other times shows abnormal behaviour. 

He added that she sometimes tries to run away from home towards a nearby forest in India, making it difficult to control her.

The family’s financial condition is very weak. Her mother has been living at her parental home for a long time, while other family members go to India for labour work. 

With no stable source of income apart from the mother, they have been unable to afford medical treatment.

After learning about the case, ward chairperson Dilip Gurung of Madhuwan Municipality–5 immediately provided financial assistance of Rs. 5,000. He stated that further steps would be taken to ensure proper treatment. “We are preparing to identify the health condition and seek treatment,” he said.

Similarly, Indra Chunara, head of the Women and Children Section of Madhuwan Municipality, informed that a team has been sent to assess the girl’s condition and that efforts are being made to arrange immediate treatment. 

She added that if treatment is not possible, the process to provide a disability identity card will be initiated.

Locals have demanded that the local government and concerned authorities coordinate promptly to ensure the girl’s treatment and protection. 

The girl’s distressing condition has once again raised serious concerns regarding human rights and child protection.

At times she recognises people, and at other times she does not. “She does not even say when she is hungry, we have to feed her ourselves,” said her uncle, Narayan Gurung.