Kathmandu, September 30

Police have arrested a group of five persons for allegedly murdering their friend Kamala Karki, 55, of Kapilvastu district, on September 18 in Karki’s rented house at Tenzing chowk, Kapan.

Karki’s death was shrouded in mystery when police found her body in her room with her hands and mouth tied with a shawl. The mystery, however, unfolded after police nabbed Somlal Thing of Makwanpur, Pasang Tamang of Okhaldhunga, Pasang Tamang of Rautahat, Pasang Sherpa of Okhaldhunga and Ram Krishna Karki from Bouddha area. They had allegedly murdered their friend with the intention of swindling her.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati said all of them were friends and occasionally used to gather at one another’s room to party. On the night of the murder, the five had planned on getting Karki drunk and looting the money and gold she owned.

“After Karki lost consciousness, the five began robbing the gold she was wearing and her money at her place, but she regained consciousness. The scared friends then used the shawl to strangulate her to death,” DSP Bogati said. She had also severely bitten one of her friends, who was trying to take off her gold chain.

They had looted four gold rings, the gold chain Karki was wearing along with Rs 45,000 from her room.