A shocking murder case has emerged in Achham, where two teenage girls were found dead in the Chhinne forest of Dhakari Rural Municipality-1. The police have confirmed that 14-year-old Ishara Khadka and 15-year-old Saraswati Khadka were brutally murdered.
The two girls, who had gone to graze livestock on Friday, January 24, were reported missing, and their bodies were discovered the next day in the forest. According to the police investigation, they were killed by being struck with stones.
A joint investigation team from the District Police Office, Achham, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police, the Sudurpaschim Province Police Office in Dhangadhi, and the Provincial Police Office in Mahendranagar established that it was a case of murder. Two teenage boys from Dhakari-3 have been arrested in connection with the crime.
The police revealed the suspects during a press conference. Ishwari Prasad Bhandari, DSP and Chief of the District Police Office, presented the arrested individuals and provided details of the investigation. Due to their age, the names of the accused have been withheld.
Murder on the first meeting
The primary motive behind the murder was a love affair, according to police reports. Ishara Khadka and one of the arrested boys (alias Mangal Sen-73) had been in contact for a long time through phone conversations, which eventually developed into a romantic relationship.
However, the two had never met in person due to geographical constraints. Ishara lived in Dhakari-8, Palsata, while the boy resided in Dhakari-3, Tali, which are quite far apart.
In Achham, there is a local tradition in the month of Magh where married daughters receive gifts from their maternal homes. The arrested teenagers had gone to their aunt’s house in Tali to deliver these gifts.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, they planned a meeting with the girls and arranged it over the phone. On Friday morning, the boys, along with their 10-year-old cousin, went to Chhinne forest, where the meeting took place around 12:30 PM.
During the meeting, Ishara and Mangal Sen-73 exchanged scarves (dupatta), a symbolic gesture of their relationship. However, the other boy (Mangal Sen-76) claimed that he also had romantic feelings for Ishara, leading to an argument. Ishara and Mangal Sen-73 then moved away from the group to talk privately.
Murder after rejected love proposal
While Ishara and Mangal Sen-73 talked, Saraswati was left with Mangal Sen-76. During their conversation, Mangal Sen-76 proposed a romantic relationship, similar to Ishara and Mangal Sen-73, and asked Saraswati to exchange scarves. However, Saraswati firmly rejected his proposal.
According to police statements, Mangal Sen-76 then attempted to initiate a physical relationship with Saraswati, but she resisted. Enraged by her rejection, he attacked her with a stone and killed her on the spot.
At that time, Ishara was unaware of what had happened, as she had gone downhill to bring back the grazing goats.
After murdering Saraswati, Mangal Sen-76 tried to cover up the crime by rolling a large stone down the slope to make it appear as an accident.
Brutal murder of Ishara
As Ishara returned, she heard the sound of the falling stone and rushed to the scene, only to find Saraswati’s lifeless body. Mangal Sen-76 attempted to convince her that Saraswati had died after being hit by a falling stone, but Ishara did not believe him. She immediately accused him of murder and threatened to inform the village.
Fearing that the truth would be exposed, both Mangal Sen-73 and Mangal Sen-76 decided to kill Ishara as well.
According to the police, the murder of Saraswati was carried out solely by Mangal Sen-76, while Ishara was killed by both boys together.
Efforts to stage the crime as an accident
After committing both murders, the suspects panicked and tried to make it look like an accident. They carefully positioned the bodies 15 meters apart and then rolled multiple large stones from the top of the cliff onto the crime scene.
During the initial investigation, the police noticed an unusual concentration of fallen rocks in one place, which raised suspicion. They then shifted their focus to those who were in the vicinity on the day of the crime.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing three individuals throwing stones from the top of the cliff, which became a crucial lead in the investigation.
Arrest and further investigation
As the police intensified their probe, they interrogated individuals who were near the crime scene on the day of the incident. Eventually, they detained the two teenage boys from Tali.
The suspects were planning to flee from the village but were apprehended last Sunday night. DSP Bhandari confirmed that a case of homicide has been filed against them, and further investigation is underway.
Community in shock
The brutal murder of the two young girls has left the local community in shock. Residents of Dhakari have expressed deep grief and anger, demanding strict punishment for the perpetrators. The tragic event has also raised concerns about the increasing use of mobile phones among teenagers and the potential dangers of online relationships.
Authorities have urged parents to be vigilant about their children’s activities and interactions, especially when it comes to virtual relationships that could lead to real-life consequences.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a grim reminder of how a seemingly innocent love affair over the phone led to a gruesome tragedy on the first-ever meeting. The case has also reignited discussions about youth behavior, crime prevention, and the responsibility of families and society in ensuring the safety of teenagers.
As the investigation continues, the Achham police have assured the public that justice will be served for Ishara and Saraswati, whose untimely deaths have left an irreplaceable void in their families and community.
