Panchthar, May 23

Bodies of the victims of Monday’s carnage in Panchthar were cremated here today.

On Monday night, four members of Bam Kumar Phiyak’s family and five of his son-in-law, Dhanaraj Serma’s family were hacked to death in Miklajung Rural Municipality, Arubote.

Bam Kumar Phiyak’s wife Pharsimaya, daughter Man Kumari Phiyak and grand-child Shreya, along with his son-in-law, Dhana Bahadur Serma, wife Jasmita and daughters, Yobana, Muna and Ichchha were killed.

Following post-mortem at the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health and Sciences, the bodies were brought back to Panchthar, where they were cremated as per the Limbu culture today.

“While the bodies of the members of the Phiyak family were collectively cremated in Arubote, those of the Serma family were cremated separately in Sarangdada,” said a local, Dhan Bahadur Limbu. Twelve-year-old Sita Serma, who managed to save herself by fleeing the site, is undergoing treatment at Damak-based Life Line Hospital in Jhapa.

Meanwhile, the police are preparing to send the items seized from the site to Kathmandu for a test. The murder suspect Man Bahadur Makhim of Miklajong, who is another son-in-law of Bam Kumar, was found hanging at some distance from murder sites. Police had recovered a blood-stained khukuri, two vests, and a bag containing a pair of shirts and three vests, from the site.

“We’re preparing to send the items to Nepal Police’s Central Forensic Lab for a test,” said DSP Narendra Kunwar at the District Police Office, Panchthar.