A 23-year-old man was hacked to death over a dispute during a school management committee election in Chhabispathibhera Rural Municipality, Bajhang on Tuesday evening.

According to the District Police Office, Amrit Singh of Chhabispathibhera-3 died after being hit with a machete. Police arrested four persons, including ward chairman of Chhabispathibhera-2 Bikash Ayadi, in connection with the incident. Prakash Ayadi, Kedar Ayadi and Gyan Bahadur Kathayat of the same rural municipality were also detained for investigation.

A heated dispute occurred between two groups during the school management committee election of Bannichaur Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon. The murder accused Prakash and the victim had a heated dispute and even traded blows during the election.

“Security personnel intervened and sent them away,” said Lokendra Singh, the principal of Bannichaur Secondary School.

The assailants attacked Amrit, a member of the local committee of Nepali Congress close Nepal Tarun Dal, near a shop in his village. The victim, who sustained deep cut injuries on his head, died shortly after the incident.

Police claimed that a government-owned motorcycle that ward chief Bikash Ayadi had been riding was used by the perpetrators of the crime. Security personnel detained Bikash from a hotel in Chainpur, the district headquarters of Bajhang, along with the motorcycle on Tuesday night.

Ward Chairman Bikash Ayadi, however, denied the accusations and claimed that he was not involved in the crime. “I got to know about the incident only after arriving at the district headquarters. I have my motorbike with me. My name is being linked to the incident unnecessarily for political vendetta,” said Bikash.

“Investigation into the murder is underway after detaining four suspects,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Rupak Khadka. The murderers will be punished soon, he added.

Meanwhile, the local residents are of the belief that Amrit was killed for political wrangling. They claimed that Nepal Communist Party activists assaulted Amrit with a machete, as the candidate from the Nepal Congress was elected the school management committee chairman.

“There was no other enmity. Amrit was killed in a fit of rage by NCP cadres, as the other party’s candidate was defeated in the election. He was killed for the sake of political revenge,” said Bishnu Aidi, a local resident who is also the district chairman of Nepal Tarun Dal.

DSP Khadka also agreed that the incident occurred due to political reasons.

“Preliminary investigation shows that a man named Prakash assaulted the victim. Investigation is on to find whether the ward chairman was involved in the crime or not,” said Khadka, adding that the assailants were under the influence of alcohol when the incident took place.

Meanwhile, supporters of the Nepal Congress, the victim’s relatives and the local residents staged demonstrations in Chainpur on Wednesday, demanding strong action against the culprits. The protesters burned tyres at the main gate of the District Administration Office as a show of protest.

“The criminals responsible for Amrit’s death should be punished at any cost,” said Nepali Congress district leader Prithvi Bahadur Singh while addressing the protest rally.