A suicide abetment complaint has been filed against a man following the tragic deaths of his wife and two children.

Police registered the complaint after Baludev Giri, the father of 38-year-old Maya Kathayat, lodged a formal complaint against Bhupendra Kathayat at the Area Police Office in Chhinchu on Thursday. Maya, a permanent resident of ward 12 of Gurbhakot Municipality in Surkhet, reportedly jumped into the local Bheri river with her 11-year-old daughter Asha and five-year-old son Deepak on Sunday afternoon.

Maya’s parents claim that she was driven to the extreme step due to continuous domestic violence by her husband.

"He (Bhupendra) consumed alcohol almost daily and physically tortured my daughter and grandchildren," said Giri in his complaint. "She took the harsh decision as the repeated torture had become unbearable."

Inspector Prakash KC at the Area Police Office in Chhinchu confirmed that Bhupendra has been taken into custody for further investigation. "A detailed investigation is underway into the incident,” he said.

Police and locals recovered Maya’s body on Monday, followed by Asha’s on Tuesday. A search operation remains underway for five-year-old Deepak, who is still missing.

Incidents of gender-based violence in Karnali, the country’s biggest and remotest province, are often reported in the region mainly under the influence of alcohol and lack of immediate local intervention.