Mastermind behind Sankhuwasabha murder case made public; five arrested till now

Police in Sankhuwasabha district today made public the mastermind behind the brutal murder of six members of a family in Umling, Madi Municipality-1. 

Sankhuwasabha District Police Office (DPO), in a press conference, said Khadga Bahadur Karki (47) was the mastermind behind the murder. Earlier, on September 12, police had made public Lok Bahadur Karki, a nephew of one of the victims Tej Bahadur, as a prime suspect. Lok Bahadur on September 11 had confessed to police that he had committed the crime that took place on September 6.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Laldhwaj Subedi at DPO told NepalNews that a total of five persons have been detained in connection to the brutal murder.

Today police made public the mastermind behind the murder and three others including Naresh Karki (17) — a younger brother of Lok Bahadur Karki — who was arrested on September 17 after police personnel seized a mobile phone belonging to one of the victims Ranjana, from his possession. Two other arrested in connection to the murder have been identified as Hasta Bahadur Karki (28), Rana Bahadur Karki (49), DSP Subedi said.

He said that the motivation behind the cold-blooded murder was to take vengeance on the Karki family. Lok Bahadur had confessed to police that he committed murder as his uncle Tej Bahadur often oppressed him. 

The murder victims include Tej Bahadur Karki (58), his mother Parvati (84), his spouse Kamala (56), his daughter-in-law Ranjana (28), grandson Dipen (10), and granddaughter Goma (5).

After killing Tej Bahadur, Lok Bahadur had allegedly chased and killed the minors after he saw them coming out of the house, police said. The site where the murder took place is at a distance of 40 metres from the Tej Bahadur's house. The only member of the Karki family left unharmed is Tej Bahadur's father Boudhaman Karki (85).

Tej Bahadur's son who was in foreign employment in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, arrived home on September 8 and carried out the last rites of his family members in Itahari Sub-metropolitan City.

Meanwhile, police have made an affidavit following the investigation and have been preparing to present the accused before the District Court for prosecution.