Teacher held in Baitadi for murder over financial dispute

KATHMANDU: A lady teacher arrested on charges of murdering a man in Baitadi has stated that the death occurred during a quarrel over personal financial dealings.

Bhagawati Bista, a 36-year-old relief teacher at Sahastraling Primary School, made this statement during preliminary police investigations.

The deceased, Birman Singh Bista, a 51-year-old resident of Patan Municipality-6, was killed in her home on the night of June 15.

Bhagawati, who is a single woman, claimed that Birman came to her house, and a dispute ensued over a loan of Rs 700,000-800,000 that she had given him.

During the argument, she struck him with a stick, resulting in his death due to excessive bleeding.

She kept the body in her house for 24 hours and later arranged for its disposal through others.

The body of Birman Bista, who was a truck driver, was discovered in the Ghanal River along the Patan-Pancheswar road section, according to Bhimakanta Sharma, the Chief District Officer of Baitadi.

Two individuals, Rajendra Bhattarai (22) and Kishor Bhattarai (23) of Patan-1, have been arrested for assisting in the disposal of the body. They were apprehended in Bhatkada, Dadeldhura, while attempting to flee.

The police found Virbhana’s body wrapped in plastic on the afternoon of June 17, three days after he went missing.

Birman’s family had filed a complaint at the Area Police Office in Patan, accusing Bhagawati of his disappearance.

Following the complaint, Bhagawati was arrested from her home.

Another individual involved in the disposal of the body remains at large, and a search is ongoing.

The deceased’s body has been sent to Patan Primary Health Center for an autopsy.

The District Police Office in Baitadi is conducting further investigations into the incident.