Lalitpur, May 25

Police have arrested a temporary policeman for his alleged involvement in the murder of a Dalit rights activist.

DSP Ishwor Karki at the Metropolitan Police Range, Jawalakhel, said Kumar Pakhrin, 40, of Sindhuli district and currently residing in Godavari, Lalitpur, was suspected of killing Deepak Pariyar. The 55-year-old victim of Chhampi, Godavari-9, was also the vice president of Nepal Dalits Association, Lalitpur.

Pakhrin, who was recruited as a temporary cop for the purpose of local level elections, had allegedly stoned Pariyar to death at around 10:30pm on Monday in a dispute over mutual misunderstanding. “Pakhrin and Pariyar got drunk at a local restaurant and engaged in a heated argument on their way home. As the duo reached Tinghatte of Godavari, Pakhrin hit Pariyar in the head with a stone before fleeing the scene,” informed DSP Karki.

Police had launched investigation into the incident after Pariyar was found dead on Tuesday at around 6:30am. DSP Karki said sniffer dogs of Nepal Police assisted the investigators in identifying Pakhrin as a murder suspect. Further investigation into the incident is under way to establish the motive behind Pariyar’s murder, said police.