Khadga Bahadur Shahi of Tilkha VDC in Kalikot district was found dead in Bahraich on Wednesday.

Nepal Police and National Investigation Department officials went to Bahraich to investigate the death of one Khadga Bahadur Shahi of Tilkha VDC in Kalikot district. He was found dead in Bahraich on Wednesday.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Keshav Adhikari said Superintendent of Police Govindaram Pariyar was sent to India along with National Investigation Department officials.

Sources said Nepali security personnel as well as Bahraich District Magistrate Neha Pandey reached incident site on Thursday.

Shahi was killed near Achkowa camp when he was heading to Lucknow with a stone statue.

His body has injuries on the face and eyes. Police said Khadga Bahadur died due to serious injuries. He was accused of stealing the statue from Kalika Temple in Kalikot and smuggling it to India.

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) said of the six Nepali men heading to Lucknow with the statute, they detained Lok Bahadur Shahi, Tek Bahadur Shahi, Tirtha Shahi and Anil Kumar Shahi but Khadga Bahadur drowned in a pond as he ran away.

Rajesh Shahi, another man in the group, is still out of contact. Local residents, however, said that Khadga Bahadur was murdered.

The SSB said the arrestees were handed over to the Uttar Pradesh Police for investigation.

The incident site is around 30 kilometers away from Gulariya, the district headquarters of Bardiya.