BHAIRAHAWA: The murder of 8-year-old Manisha Harijan of Majhagaun, Rupandehi has turned controversial following Nepal Police laboratory reports. The relatives of the girl and rights activists have been seeking for justice but the police investigation doesn't confirm the murder. Though the accused Newas Pal has admitted that he had killed Manisha, the incident has turned controversial after reports claimed that the sample sent to be examined did not match with blood of Manisha.

According to Chhabilal Banjade Joshi, Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Newas Pal had admitted that he had sacrificed the girl at a brick kiln. The murderer had confessed of killing the girl as per the direction of the owner of the brick factory. The dead body of the girl was found covered with hay a day after her murder. When police, rights activists, journalists reached the incident site, they had found blood stains, coconuts and flowers around the brick factory.

The police have detained owner of the brick factory, Newas Pal, and workers at the kiln, Naresh Harijan and Rajwal on murder charge. SP Joshi said that all the four suspects have been kept in police custody for further interrogation. Though the Central Police Science Laboratory has claimed that the laboratory reports of Manisha have been sent to the District Police Office after examination, SP Joshi has refuted the claim made by the police laboratory.

Meanwhile, Shreechandra, brother of the kiln owner claimed that his brother is innocent. He said, “My brother has admitted his involvement just because of the police beating,” he said. "I had called Jaiswal from India but the police claim that they apprehended him.” Shreechandra also claimed that the girl was not murdered as the blood test showed that it was not her blood. However, Dalit rights activist Kismat BK insisted that the detainees should be punished as they had admitted their involvement in the murder.