JAJARKOT: Police have arrested Dambar Bahadur Malla, ward chair of Chaurjahari Municipality-8 along with fifteen others in connection with the death of three youths in Rukum West. Three more are still missing while scores were injured in the incident.

One of the youths, Nawaraj BK (21) of Bheri Municipality-4 in Jajarkot had gone to Soti of Chaurjahari Municipality-8 in Rukum West to the girl (17) he loved, with her consent, along with 18 of his friends on Saturday. However, the group upon their entry in the village were attacked and chased by the villagers including ward chair Malla and the girl's family. During the attack, six youths including Nawaraj were forced to jump into Bheri River by the villagers.

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The bodies of Nawaraj BK, Tikaram Sunar and Ganesh Budha have been recovered while three other youths --Lokendra Sunar, Govinda Shahi and Sandeep BK -- are still missing. Bodies of Nawaraj and Tikaram were recovered from the river on Saturday while the body of Ganesh was recovered on Monday.

Nawaraj and Ganesh are from Bheri-4 while Tikaram is from Chaurjahari Municipality-1 of Rukum West.

According to some locals, the youths were attacked on the pretext of a "lower caste" man daring to take away the girl belonging to the "upper caste". However, family members of the girl have claimed that the youths attempted to forcefully take the underage girl away despite the family's refusal.

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Sudeep Khadka of Bheri Municipality-4 of Jajarkot, one of those who has come into contact with police, has been seriously injured in the incident, informed police.

Meanwhile, families of those deceased or missing due to the incident and rights activists protested in front of Jajarkot District Police Office, on Monday evening, demanding swift investigation into the case, search for the missing persons, and justice for the caste-based violence. They have also stated that they will not receive the bodies of the deceased until truthful investigation is conducted and the culprits are brought under the rule of law.

Chief of Jajarkot District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kishore Kumar Shrestha said that bodies of the deceased have been brought to Jajarkot District Hospital for post mortem and police have already started an investigation into the case.