Two teenage sisters who had been reported missing from India have been found dead in Bhaktapur, according to local authorities.

The girls were discovered hanging from the same rope in the corridor of a house where they had been staying in Sintitar, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality–9.

The deceased have been identified as Menuka Kandel (17) and Sirjana Kandel (15) of Panchapuri Municipality-8, Surkhet. They had been living in a makeshift room on the ground floor of a two-storey house owned by local resident Niraj Chakradhar.

According to their relatives, the sisters had arrived in Nepal from Mumbai, India, where they had been living with their parents for the past few years. Sirjana had grown up in Mumbai, while Menuka had remained in Surkhet and recently appeared for her Secondary Education Examination (SEE). After her uncle’s wedding in Nepal, Menuka reportedly joined the rest of the family in Mumbai.

The two girls reportedly went out of contact on June 27, the same day the SEE results were published. Family members say Menuka received non-graded results in two subjects. Their disappearance had led to a frantic search by relatives in both India and Nepal.

Their uncle, Khagendra Sigdel, said that despite informing the police in Surkhet of the suspicion that the girls had returned to Nepal, authorities showed little interest in pursuing the matter.

Deepak Kumar Thapa, ward chair of Panchapuri–8, confirmed that the girls’ parents had been working in India for the past five to six years.

Madhav Budhathoki, Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Bhaktapur, said the site has been secured but no forensic documentation has been carried out yet.

“The family has requested us not to take any action until they arrive,” Budhathoki said. “We will begin the investigation once the formal site inspection is complete.”

He also confirmed that the parents are currently en route from India to Nepal. Prior to their deaths, the sisters had reportedly posted content to Instagram and TikTok late Wednesday night.