Teenager dies in Nepal after her banishment under Hindu custom

A 15-year-old girl has died in Nepal after she was banished to a shed outside the village during her menstruating cycle, under an ancient Hindu custom outlawed by the government over a decade ago.
The practice, known as chhaupadi, is a social custom of keeping menstruating girls and women in a narrow shed outside the village, under the ancient Hindu custom which views menstruating girls as unclean.
The practice was outlawed by the government in 2005, but it is still prevalent among many village communities in Nepal, especially in western Nepal.
The victim, a ninth grade student, was found dead at a cowshed in Gagra of Achham district yesterday, police said.

However, a police officer investigating into the case said the incident was due to suffocation as the Chhaupadi shed was too congested, the Himalayan Times reported.
Meanwhile, Women's Development Officer of the district, Bhagawati Aryal, said more than 10 girls and women have lost their lives due to this practice since 2006.