Police have revealed that Rajan Buda, who was found dead in Shiva Community Forest at Jarbutta VDC-1 in the district last week, was murdered at the behest of his former wife.

Superintendent of Police Prakash Adhikari said that investigation showed that Rajan’s former wife Gita Pulami contracted Devilal Neupane of Birendranagar-5 to murder Rajan.

Police said that Devilal settled for Rs 100,000 to murder Rajan and that he took Rs 30,000 in advance. Adhikari said that the cash was confiscated from Devilal’s house.

Devilal assured Gita of killing Rajan, saying that he had murdered people in the past too, police said. Devilal, with three accomplices, murdered Rajan after bringing him in contact with Gita over the phone.

Police held Ramjali Magar, Neupane, Purna Bahadur Sunar and Pabisara Pulami Magar in connection with the crime. Gita and her second husband are absconding. A resident of Dillichaur VDC-2 in Jumla, Rajan, a former PLA combatant, had just returned from a job in Qatar, when he was murdered.