Bhairahawa,
December 20
Manoj Pun (28) of Devdaha municipality-6 may have a hand in Monday’s murder of Durga Tiwari, chief of the CPN-UML-aligned Youth Association (Rupandehi) at Khaireni Bazaar, Devdaha, police suspect.
Tiwari, injured in a shooting on Monday afternoon, breathed his last during treatment at Devdaha Medical College.
Bel Bahadur Pandey, deputy superintendent of police, told Onlinekhabar: The police investigation into the incident shows that Manoj Pun is behind Tiwari’s murder.
Pun, according to findings of the investigation, has had a long-running enmity with Tiwari. As per the probe, Pun had earlier sought two lakh rupees as ransom for plotting an attack on Tiwari.
The investigation points at Pun’s earlier involvement in crimes, including the possession of illegal arms and murder attempts. Pandey said further probe and search for Pun are currently underway.
Pun, as per the investigation, used to extort while he was a cadre of the CPN-UML. Tiwari used to oppose activities of Pun, who was also a small-time contractor.
A police officer, who was posted at Butwal area police office at the time, recalls that police had also arrested Pun on the charge of hooliganism. He claims that local UML leaders put pressure on the victims and managed to have Pun freed four days after the arrest.
A source told Onlinekhabar that the party expelled Pun after finding about his involvement in extortion.
After the UML action, Pun reportedly left for Bangkok, still angry at the UML and Tiwari. After living in the Thai capital for some time, Pun came to Goa.
Nine months ago, he contacted a person named Shalik Ram Chapagain for plotting an attack on Tiwari.
At that time, according to police, two motorcycle-borne individuals tried to shoot at Tiwari (the probe does not mention the site), but failed. Then they fled the scene.
Subsequently, police arrested eight suspects, including Chapagain, in course of the investigation. A police source said they have not been able to arrest Pun as he is currently in India.
After Tiwari’s murder, Pun is said to have called up a local of Devdaha and informed that he was behind the murder. At the time of the call, the person was said to be with Butwal DSP Mukunda Marasini.
Apparently, Marasini heard the conversation. Police tried to trace the call and it turned out that the call was made through the Internet.
The murder plot
After Durga Tiwari’s murder, Manoj Pun reportedly called up a local of Devdaha and owned up to the murder
According to police, Pun had a long-running enmity with Tiwari
Pun had allegedly orchestrated an attack against Tiwari earlier as well
He is said to be living in India.
