Bhagirathi Murder case: Police close to finding culprit 

KAILALI: The police said that they have come close to the culprit in the case of murder of 17-year-old Bhagirathi Bhatta of Baitadi Dogada Kedar Village Municipality – 7.

It has been 8 days since the incident. Police said that the investigation has reached the stage of identifying the culprits.

“We have questioned dozens of people,” said a senior police official. “Some of them look suspicious. We have stepped up surveillance.” 

“Based on the evidence found at the scene, some people are being monitored,” the official said. “The investigation is moving in a positive direction. The scope of the investigation is getting narrower.” 

The body of the girl who went missing on 3rd February was found in the local Labdev Community Forest on 4th February while she was returning home from school.

Police are now questioning dozens of people, including school friends, teachers, family members, village relatives and close acquaintances. Police claim that the incident is being investigated meticulously.

The police said that they have narrowed the scope of investigation after examining the post-mortem report, evidence found at the scene and the technicalities of her mobile phone found near the body. 

According to a police source, the location of Bhagirathi’s mobile phone was Labdev forest. “Her location is Labdev forest, which shows that the murder took place in the forest itself”, said a police source.

Police said that they are investigating the incident in every possible way. People close to Bhagirathi are now under increased surveillance.

“Such incidents have mostly been reported from those close to the victim,” said a police officer. “We are looking at this incident from every angle.” 

Bhatta was carrying a mobile phone with an Indian SIM. According to police, this is because her relatives are in India and only Indian networks operate well in the village.

Police are also analyzing the messages and contact numbers on her mobile phone.

A team including Baitadi District Police Chief DSP Narayan Prasad Adhikari was deployed at the spot the day after the incident. 

The body was found with head injuries, torn undergarments, bruises on the body, bleeding from the genitals and wounds on the head and hands.

A team led by SSP Janak Raj Pandey is still deployed at the spot. DIG Uttam Subedi has been at the spot since Sunday. Additional police have been mobilized from Dhangadhi to investigate the incident.

Bhagirathi’s relatives are refusing to receive the body. Bhatta’s postmortem was conducted on Saturday evening. Relatives said they would not receive the body until the culprit is found. Bhagirathi’s body is currently being kept at the district hospital.