Loan-sharking victims protest outside Dhanusha court, woman pours petrol over herself

A woman poured a petrol-like liquid over herself during a protest by loan-sharking victims outside Nepal's Dhanusha District Court on Wednesday. Police intervened and took control of the 55-year-old, identified as Phulkumari Rajak, before she could cause harm. The demonstration coincided with lawyers arguing a case against alleged predatory lenders Hareram Sah and Gopal Sah.

Madhusudan Neupane, deputy superintendent of police, confirmed the incident and stated that security was tightened around the court premises. A video of the woman pouring the substance has circulated on social media. It remains unclear if Rajak was directly involved in the case being heard.

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Police officers deployed to prevent protesters from entering the court immediately took control of Rajak.

Nirg Navin, an activist with the campaign against loan sharking, said campaigners are investigating the incident. This protest comes less than a month after the government and victims signed a nine-point agreement on July 17. The deal aims to address widespread complaints of fraudulent lending and coercive debt collection.

The agreement includes declaring loan sharking an economic crime, drafting a special law within three months, and establishing dedicated tribunals. It also proposes invalidating fraudulent promissory notes and land mortgages, and criminalizing practices like interest capitalization and unlawful property seizure. Despite these commitments, Wednesday's demonstration underscores the persistent anger among victims, particularly concerning ongoing court cases and the implementation of the government's pledges.

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We are looking into the incident in detail.