Kailali murder tied to Rs 400 theft claim

KATHMANDU: A 35-year-old man found dead near a temple in Attariya was murdered over a dispute involving just Rs 400, police revealed in a press briefing on Thursday.

The body of Jagdish Kaini, a resident of Dadeldhura, was discovered in a severely disfigured state on March 20 in the premises of the Durga Temple in Attariya.

Initial reports suggested foul play, prompting a detailed investigation.

According to Area Police Office Malakheti, Hemanta Bahadur Bohara of Dilasaini Rural Municipality, Baitadi, has been arrested in connection with the murder.

Police say Bohara confessed to killing Kaini following a heated argument.

“On the night of March 9, both Kaini and Bohara were sleeping inside the temple premises,” said DSP Ganga Bahadur Thapa, chief of the Area Police Office. “When Bohara noticed Rs 400 missing from his pocket, he suspected Kaini of theft. In a fit of rage, he struck him on the head with a stone, leading to his death.”

Police said Bohara, a former member of the Armed Police Force, dragged the body behind the temple and abandoned it in an open field.

He then fled to Dhangadhi, where he worked at a local hotel for a week.

He was arrested upon returning to Attariya on Wednesday while reportedly under the influence of alcohol.

The investigation was led by DSP Thapa with a seven-member team, including Inspectors Sushil Chand and Padam Thapa from the Sudurpaschim Province Police Office.