Education Officer Arrested for Alleged Indecent Exposure in Lalitpur

Kathmandu. Police are investigating an education officer arrested on charges of exposing his private parts to a young woman walking alone in a street in Imadol, Lalitpur.

Surendra Bhatta, originally from Baitadi, was arrested on Asar 22 in connection with the incident. The Satdobato Police Circle is investigating him under the charge of indecent exposure in a public place as per the Muluki Criminal Code 2074. The Chief District Officer hears cases under this offense. The law provides for imprisonment of up to 6 months if the offense is proven.

Bhatta is an officer at the National Defence University in Singh Durbar, with his permanent posting at the Education Coordination Unit under the Ministry of Education. The victim woman posted a video on the social media platform TikTok on the evening of Asar 21, alleging that he had harassed her.

Bhatta has denied the allegations, stating that the woman accused him of exposing his private parts after seeing her alone in the street. He gave a denial statement to the investigating officer and public prosecutor. According to police sources, he stated in his statement, 'I was about to defecate, I did not harass.'

सडकमा एक्लै हिँडेकी युवतीलाई पुरुषले ‘गोप्य अङ्ग’ देखाएको घटनामा प्रहरीले थाल्यो अनुसन्धान

Bhatta's relatives have also protested his arrest on social media, claiming he was defecating and did not harass. The video, filmed by the young woman using a smartphone, shows him being restrained by other pedestrians and made to bow at the victim's feet. The accused is seen saying 'Sorry' in the video. However, the video has now been deleted from social media.

Police found no CCTV cameras at the scene of the incident during their investigation. Investigating officers say that the facts of the incident were not recorded by cameras elsewhere. SSP Tul Bahadur Karki of Lalitpur stated that he had no knowledge about the claims made by Bhatta's relatives. When asked about the cause of the incident, SSP Karki said, 'I will investigate and send it upstairs, and the people who eat grain there will decide.'

Police obtained a 5-day remand from the court to investigate Bhatta. The first remand expires on Asar 28. According to SP Gautam Mishra of the District Police Range, Lalitpur, the interrogation of the accused is not yet complete. Police are investigating based on the complaint filed by the young woman. SP Mishra also stated that there were no eyewitnesses at the scene.