Dhangadhi, November 28:

JP Joshi ‘Pandit’, Dhangadhi editor of vernacular daily, Janadisha, who had gone missing for over a month and a half, was found dead this morning in Pragati Mahila Community Forest of his native VDC, Malakheti.

Joshi’s driving license, a mobile set and some of his photographs were also recovered. Joshi’s mother Parvati, brother Pushparaj and wife Basanti had identified the body.

Police said they had difficulty in settling on whose body it was. Joshi, president of the Kailali chapter of Revolutionary Journalists’ Organisation, left home on October 8 and had since not returned.

One Bom Bahadur Kunwar of Attariya had informed the police of what he had found in the forest in his venture to collect grass — a driving license and the skeleton. A Malakheti Police Post team led by Inspector Karna Bahadur Karki had reached the site following the cue.

Federation of Nepali Journalists had been expressing its concern about Joshi’s whereabouts since Wednesday.

Joshi’s family suspects the Tharuwan State Committee (TSC) of having a hand in Joshi’s murder. Joshi had published an article against TSC in the daily a few months ago.

“He used to receive threats from Maoist cadres as well,” Joshi’s brother Pushparaj said. Joshi had once been attacked by his party cadres. The family source suspects Attariya’s Lokendra Rawat’s hand in Joshi’s murder. Pushparaj said Joshi had written that Rawat had been involved in smuggling tiger hide.

The editor was later asked by Rawat to make correction over what he had written. Rawat had told the deceased’s wife that Joshi owed him Rs 65,000. Inspector Karki said Rawat had been absconding, while his brother Pappu Rawat was held.