Thirty eight-year-old Khem Bahadur Darlami Magar, a resident of Chhathar Jorpati Rural Municipality-2, Phalaicha in Dhankuta was found dead on Thursday. The police have arrested the youngest wife of Magar, and four other suspects of the murder.

According to the police, the cuts, bruises and other injuries to the deceased’s body and the nature of the crime scene suggest a murder case.

Police arrested Magari’s wife Jitmaya Limbu, 44, Indra Bahadur Tamang, 19, Chetulal Magar, 32, Dachiri, 31 and a 16-year-old minor, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Om Prakash Khanal, who is also the spokesperson for Dhankuta District Police Office.

Khanal added that the murder might have been carried out in retaliation, as Magar reportedly subjected his wife to beatings and domestic abuse frequently. It is believed that the wife, along with others, attacked him with a bamboo stick in various parts of his body and strangled him to death after he assaulted her again on Wednesday afternoon, the police said after preliminary investigation.

The police have recovered the tools used to assault Magar from the crime scene. Further investigation is underway, Khanal said.