Dhangadi, May 26

An unidentified group of people hacked an elderly couple to death with a sharp weapon at Katairamladi of Mahakali Municipality, Darchula, last night.

The couple’s grandson was injured in the incident. Police identified the deceased couple as Birbhan Mahara, 75, and his wife Dropadi Mahara, 70. Birbhan died while undergoing treatment at District Hospital while Dropadi was found dead in a pool of blood at their home.

The Mahara couple’s grandson Lokendra, who was critically injured, was sent to Dhangadi-based Seti Zonal Hospital for treatment. Lokendra told police that the masked group of people had barged into their house and attacked them with the weapon indiscriminately.

The deceased couple had been running a shop on the roadside for years. Mahakali Municipality Ward No 3 Chair Padam Singh Mahara said the incident was plotted with the aim of killing all the members of Mahara’s family.

“Mahara’s two sons are employed in India. Someone familiar with the family must have committed the heinous crime,” Mahara said.

Since the shop is away from the village, the incident came to light at 8:00am today morning.

Locals, had reported the incident to the police after they saw Birbhan and Lokendra injured and Dropadi dead.

A police team rescued Birbhan and Lokendra and sent them to the hospital. The team led by Inspector Rabindra Kathayat has launched investigation into the incident. A team from the Farwest Province Police Office has been sent to the incident site with a sniffer dog.

Inspector Kathayat said a gang of robbers might have murdered the Mahara couple. “Gold jewellery that Dropadi wore was missing and the attackers burgled cash from the shop as well,” Kathayat added.