Neighbour confesses to rape and murder of 17-year-old girl in Ilam

PANCHTHAR: A youth — one of the four suspects detained for questioning in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Suryodaya Municipality-13, Ilam district — has reportedly confessed to the crime.

The suspect, 25-year-old Roshan Rai, a local resident, raped and killed his neighbour on Tuesday, stated Ilam District Police Office. Police carried out an investigation after the body of the victim was found buried in a field where Amliso (Thysanolaena) was planted, on Wednesday. The victim was an XIth grader at a local school, police informed.

According to chief at the DPO, Superintendent of Police (SP) Heera Bahadur Pandey, Roshan forcibly took the girl to the forest nearby and raped her. She was heading for school to take an examination when the incident occurred.

Further, SP Pandey quoted detainee Rai as saying that he raped the girl and when she threatened to reveal the incident to others, he killed her. Rai reportedly told police that he pelted her with a stone. Subsequently, he buried her body in the field.

The victim lived with her father, her neighbours said. Her parents were separated. It has been learnt that her father was not keeping well and she was taking care of him.

Meanwhile, the DPO has started the process to file a case against Roshan Rai at District Court, Ilam.