Five arrested for murder of 22-year-old in Dhampus

POKHARA: Police have arrested five people on suspicion of murdering a 22-year-old man in Dhampus, a popular tourist village in Kaski district.

The suspects have been identified as Bikram Pun, 30; Ashish Gurung, 23; Mahadev BK, 30; Milan BK, 30; and Til Bahadur Pun, 38. All five are residents of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality-7 in Kaski.

District Police Office, Kaski, made the arrests public at a press conference on Wednesday. The Kaski District Court has granted police five days to keep the suspects in custody for investigation on a murder charge.

Superintendent of Police Nabin Karki, chief of Kaski police, said the five suspects were arrested after a detailed investigation into the incident.

Police said they recovered bamboo sticks, firewood, a sickle, broken beer bottles and a water bottle from the crime scene.

The victim, Rajendra Paudel, worked as a trekking porter and had returned home for Dashain after a trekking assignment.

According to police, the incident stemmed from a dispute on the evening of October 25, when Paudel went to his sister’s house. He asked his brother-in-law, Bishnu Prasad Gautam, for a mobile phone, claiming that his own phone was missing. When Gautam refused to give him the phone, Paudel smashed his phone

Meanwhile, Til Bahadur Pun, Ashish Gurung, Mahadev BK and Milan BK were drinking alcohol when a minor dispute broke out between them and Paudel over drinking.

In a fit of rage, Paudel kicked Til Bahadur Pun’s beehive, which triggered another argument between them. Paudel then hit Milan BK on the neck and Gurung on the leg with a sickle, according to police.

Everyone returned to their homes after the incident.

On that night, the five suspects went to Paudel’s house. Police said they attacked Paudel with bamboo sticks. They then dragged the injured Paudel to a field and left him there. His body was found in the field the following morning.

Paudel is survived by his mother and two brothers.