Kathmandu, December 14

Police have solved the mystery surrounding the suspicious death of 36-year-old Raj Kumar Lama, a taxi driver, who was discovered dead with severe head injury in Nayabasti of Gokarneshwor Municipality-13 on Saturday.

SSP Sarbendra Khanal, MPCD in-charge at the Metropolitan Police Crime Division, said a rigorous investigation and interrogation with suspects helped the panel conclude it to be a murder, and arrest five persons who were directly involved in the case.

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The arrestees are Maya Tamang, 20, of Kavre, and Sangita Rai, 34, and Magdhan Rai, 26, Arun Majhi, 20, and Diya Majhi, 22, of Solukhumbu and currently residing in Nayabasti.

A three-member probe panel led by SSP Khanal was formed after the Nayabasti-based Metropolitan Police Beat was vandalised by an angry mob over Lama’s death.

The panel consisted of SP Pradhymna Kumar Karki and DSP Deepak Regmi as its members. Though the kin of deceased claimed it to be a case of ‘police brutality and custodial death’, the probe panel established it to be a murder.

“Alcoholism coupled with illicit sexual relationship resulted in the murder of Lama,” said SSP Khanal. Lama, who originally hails from Bhimeshwor Municipality of Dolakha, reached Nalayabasti-based Helambu Restaurant operated by Sangita on Sunday evening and drank with her.

As the cabbie got inebriated, Maya, a worker at the restaurant, gave up her body to him as proposed for money. However, Lama allegedly refused to pay her and they engaged in a heated argument and scuffle.

“Magdhan, Sangita’s younger brother, came between Raj Kumar and Maya and hit him on the head with a brick,” said SSP Khanal.

Sangita called the police after Lama was found unconscious outside the restaurant. He died while being rushed to a local hospital.