Sudurpaschim Province
Family performs final rites of Bhagarathi 17 days after she was murdered
The family had earlier refused to receive her body demanding forensic medical reports yet to arrive from Kathmandu lab.Tripti Shahi
The funeral rites of murdered Baitadi teenager Bhagarathi Bhatta were performed on Friday.
Her body had been lying at Baitadi District Hospital for the past 15 days as her family had refused to receive the body demanding a fair investigation into the case.
Bhagarathi’s body was found in a forest at Chadepani of Dogadakedar Rural Municipality-7 on February 4, a day after she went out of contact.
The incident stoked protest rallies in different parts of the country, calling for a fair investigation into the case and justice for the murdered teenager.
Police arrested a suspect, a teenage boy, behind Bhagarathi’s murder on Tuesday. He has since admitted to the crime. But the victim’s family members have reservations about the investigation. They suspect that more persons could be involved in the incident.
Until Thursday, Bhagarathi’s family had refused to receive her body demanding forensic medical reports.
The teenager’s vaginal and mouth swabs have been sent to the National Forensic Science Laboratory in Kathmandu.
Shivaraj Bhatta, Bhagarathi’s uncle said they agreed to receive the body after the police assured to study the medical reports and verify other evidence.
“We will believe in the investigation only after we receive the medical reports,” he said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Narayan Prasad Adhikari said the suspect has already confessed to the murder.
“He confessed to the crime at the District Attorney Office on Thursday as well,” Adhikari said. “The boy’s father was also present at the District Attorney Office during the statement recording process.”
On Wednesday, the District Court Baitadi had remanded the suspect to five days in judicial custody.
Adhikari said that the investigation is still not over.
“Vaginal and mouth swabs have been sent to the National Forensic Science Laboratory in Kathmandu. We are waiting for a medical report from the lab,” he said.