A 17-year-old girl from ward 5 of Sunarya Rural Municipality in Baitadi was found dead on the bank of Sunarya River on Wednesday morning.

The deceased has been identified as Apsara Chand, a grade 12 student at Roleswar Secondary School in Ramkibaraiel. Locals informed police after spotting her body by the river.

Police from the Patan Area Police Office confirmed her identity, said Police Inspector Baldev Badu, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Baitadi.

Apsara’s father, who works in India, returned home after hearing about the tragic incident. Her body was sent for post-mortem at the District Hospital in Baitadi before being cremated, according to her uncle Bir Bahadur Chand. She was the elder of two siblings and is survived by her younger brother.

Family members suspect Apsara was compelled to take her own life after her photo was collaged together with that of a local youth and uploaded through a Facebook account created under the name “Apsara Bharat Bishwakarma.”

They have lodged a complaint of abetment to suicide against Bharat BK at the District Police Office.

Bir Bahadur, who also teaches at the school where Apsara studied, said the matter had reached the school administration, which had interrogated both Apsara and Bharat on September 16. Bharat denied creating the fake account, claiming someone else was behind it, while both stated they had no such relationship.

That same night, Apsara reportedly left home unnoticed and may have jumped into the river, her uncle said. Her mobile phone was later recovered from the river.

Bir Bahadur said the reason behind her death was the fake Facebook ID, so he filed a complaint demanding an investigation.

“My younger brother and sister-in-law were grief-stricken, so I registered the complaint,” he said. “The innocent should not be punished, but the guilty must face action.”

Police have taken Bharat into custody for investigation and extended his detention, Police Inspector Badu said.