Police on Friday made public a suspect in the murder of Sumana Shrestha in Dharan of Sunsari.

Nineteen-year-old Baburam Bhujel, alias Sabin, was caught on Thursday from Mulghat in ward 9 of Dhankuta Municipality while hiding.

The accused, a local of Dharan Sub Metropolitan-16, was paraded before the media on Friday.

The victim’s mobile phone was also recovered from the accused. However, Bhujel admitted to destroying the SIM card and disposing it in a river, said Superintendent of Police Bipin Regmi.

On Wednesday evening, police recovered the 21-year-old’s body from a rivulet adjoining the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.

As per the police report, Bhujel had premeditated the murder after Shrestha had allegedly grown close to another guy.

A bitter argument between the two is said to have triggered the incident. Bhujel had called Shrestha to meet him at the site at night and committed the crime.

Bhujel will be detained for a week for further investigation, police said.