Birtamod bus park turning into crime hub

Jhapa, February 13

Birtamod Bus park area in Sanarju Municipality of Jhapa is fast turning into a crime hub.

According to the statistics of Area Police Office, Birtamod, as many as three dozen murder cases were reported in the area in the last six years. Locals attributed the rise in criminal activities to sex trade operating in hotels and lodges operating in the bus park area.

According to police, as many as 12 persons lost their lives within this year due to various crime-related disputes in the area. Manorath Pathak, 50, of Kankai Municipality, was found dead in room no 207 of Birtamod-based B and Y Hotel on January 31.

Similarly, Sunita Dhital, 40, of the bus park, was also found dead on December 31 in the bus park area. Dhital used to work as a domestic help. Locals said her dead body was found on the road side after she was raped and murdered. Likewise, police arrested three persons, including operators of local Osim Hotel, for keeping a girl hostage in the hotel in the bus park area. The girl was rescued after police reached the site to arrest the trio.

Between November and December, as many as two persons were found dead in the bus park area, said police. Shankar Das, 50, of Darjeeling, India, and Prem Kumar Bista, 31, of Tapeshwori VDC, Udayapur, were killed after they were hit with sharp weapons in the area, in separate incidents. Police said they have yet to identify the reason behind Bista’s murder. Sources said most of the babies born out of illicit relation were discarded in the bus park area.

Meanwhile, SP Thakur Prasad Gyawali, said police were closely monitoring the area to curb girl trafficking and sex trade, among other illegal activities.