RAUTAHAT, OCTOBER 8

A teenage girl was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Durga Bhagwati Rural Municipality, Rautahat, yesterday.

According to Rautahat District Police Office, the body of Lal Mahammad Dhuniya’s 17-year-old daughter Robina Mansuri of Chhatauna village in the rural municipality was found in her neighbour Janaral Kawari’s home at about 06:00pm.

Allegedly, the girl was in love with Janaral Kawari’s son Junaid Kawari, and their love affair had caused frequent quarrels in the girl’s family.

According to DPO Spokesperson DSP Bharat Shrestha, villagers informed the police after they saw the girl’s mother, uncles and one of her aunt taking her body to Janaral Kawari’s home.

Police are carrying out an investigation to ascertain whether it was a murder or suicide. They have arrested the girl’s mother, uncles and aunt. Police are also using a sniffer dog for the investigation.

Further, police said preliminary investigation suggested that the girl’s family had secretly taken her body to Kawari’s home with the intention of framing the Kawari family in the death.

Police had found rope fibre used for hanging, from a sickle, which police suspect was used to cut the rope.

The body had bruises around the neck. It has been taken to Narayani Sub-regional Hospital of Birgunj for post-mortem.

“We can say whether it is suicide or murder only after the post-mortem report comes out,” said DSP Shrestha.

The girl’s father is in India where he is employed.

A version of this article appears in print on October 09, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.