KATHMANDU: Police investigating the shocking murder of a 70-year-old Mitthu Chettri of Dahacho VDC - 3 have suspected that she was killed for money. Chettri, a widow, was murdered hours after she sold off her land at Rs 0.8 million.

The police team, which reached her home at wee-hours today said they found Chettri’s house burgled and room muddled with things as though the culprits tried to look for money and precious ornaments. They found all her boxes opened.

Mitthu was brutally murdered yesterday mid-night in her own house. She was found in a decapitated state. Her left arm had also been chopped up, most probably with a traditional khukuri, police said. Inspector Jagannath Khanal , in-charge of the probe team , said the murderers had used khukuri to guillotine Chettri. He said that they recovered one of her chopped hands from one end of the room. Khanal said an additional team of police has been mobilised in the area to find the culprits, who have fled after the incident.

The police have doubted that the culprits were knowledgeable about Chettri and her financial status and suspected neighbours and relatives in the murder.

Suspecting a possible involvement of neighbours and relatives, the police have started interrogating them one by one, inspector Khanal said.

“It is likely that she was killed by relatives or neighbours who knew that she sold off her lands and had money,” he added.

Chettri is was living alone in her house after her three daughters got married some years back. She had one last wish in her life: Whoever will perform her last rites, will have legal claim over her property.

Meanwhile, the police have recovered Rs 1, 05,000 from the clothes she wore at the time of the incident.