KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 16
Residents of Tinkune area of Kathmandu woke up to a shocking incident this morning - an unsettling news of a massacre at a sawmill spread rapidly, leaving the community in disbelief.
Early last midnight, police made a gruesome discovery at the sawmill. They found the bodies of two men and two women. Disturbingly, three of the victims were from the same family. The crime scene, located approximately 30 metres inside the bustling main road, was covered with blood as the lifeless bodies lay in a pool of blood.
The individuals tragically killed at Dibya Sawmill have been identified as Kumar Bhujel, a 56-year-old gatekeeper at the sawmill from Dolakha, his wife Ambika Bhujel, 52, Kumar's mother Shubhadra Bhujel, 76, and Nabin Rai, 20, originally from Belbari of Morang.
"Each body exhibited multiple deep cuts in their body parts, including the head, inflicted by a blunt or sharp weapon," said SSP Dineshraj Mainali, spokesperson for Kathmandu Valley Police Office.
Shubhadra had recently arrived in Kathmandu from her hometown to perform the annual final rites for her family member. As for Nabin, he had a history of spending nights at the sawmill, having frequented the premises during his childhood when his father, Dibya from Dhankuta, used to work there. Some time ago, Dibya retired from his job and returned to his hometown to spend his old age.
The police were alerted about the massacre by 28-year-old Dipendra Rai, who arrived at Tinkune Police Beat to report the incident.
Dipendra, who is a friend of Nabin, told police that he had gone there to see his friend.
"His clothes and shoes were drenched in blood when he reached the police station," stated an officer. Dipendra had taken a taxi from the main road. The police have questioned the taxi driver, who confirmed that the man approached him in bloodsoaked attire, seeking transportation to the nearest police station. Consequently, Dipendra has been apprehended as the primary suspect in the crime. Upon receiving the report, police swiftly arrived at the crime scene and collected all available evidence. Balkrishna Siwakoti, the owner of the sawmill and a resident of Kalinchowk in Dolakha, was notified by the police and arrived at the site a few hours later.
Siwakoti informed the media that when he arrived at the sawmill from his residence in Gaushala, he discovered the bodies of his employees strewn across the premises.
In the aftermath, the police deployed sniffer dogs and alerted major checkpoints regarding the crime. The deceased bodies were sent to the Department of Forensics Science at TU's Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj for post-mortem examination. In addition to Dipendra, the police have apprehended some individuals who had spent time with him and his friends in the area the previous evening. According to police sources, those arrested were known to have a history of substance abuse.
Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari also formed a five-member investigation committee to probe the tragic incident under the leadership of Senior Superintendent of Police Somendra Singh Rathore, chief of Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, Kathmandu. The investigation committee comprises officers, including DSP Hari Khatiwada from District Police Range, Kathmandu, DSP Subash Khadka from Kathmandu Valley Police Office, DSP Surakshya KC from Crime Investigation Office, and Inspector Birendra KC from Baneshwar Police Circle.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 17, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
