By Bipul Adhikari

The entire village of Aarubote of Miklajung-3 in Panchthar district is in grief following the massacre of nine people of two families on Monday night.

The carnage has become more mysterious after the main suspect was found hung.

However, punishment for the crime is awaited, as the police are investigating the killing.

Relating to the killing, the villagers recalled the same nature of crime in the district some 26 years ago.

Five members of a family were murdered in Timbure of the then Phidim-13 in 2050 BS. The family’s five members–Kuber Dulal, his wife Saraswti Rijal, daughter Krishna, sons Umesh and Uddab–were attacked with a khukuri. Only family’s two members–daughters of Kuber, Gyanu and Manu–survived the attack, popularly known as ‘Timbure massacre’.

Manu was at her school, and Gyanu in her relative’s house when the massacre took place.

However, Manu died of a heart attack later in 2073 BS in the United States of America, while Gyanu is in the US at present.

The police investigations said the killing took place over a family dispute. With relation to Monday night massacre at Aarubote, the lone survivor of the brutal attack is Sita Khajum, 12, who is receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The dead have been identified as Dhanraj, 41, Jasmita Phiyak, 36, Man Kumari Phiyak, 26, six-year-old Iksha Sherma, Yobana Sherma, 13, eight-year-old Muna Sherma, Bam Bahadur, 74 and his wife and 12-year-old Aashika Khajum Limbu. They were attacked with a khukuri by a masked person, said survivor Khajum.

The killing took place in the houses of Sherma and Phiyak situated around one kilometer apart, said the police.

Death of the main suspect, Man Bahadur Makhim, younger son-in-law of dead Bam Bahadur, has made the killing more suspicious.

Makhim was found hung the following day at a distance of around five kilometers from the incident site.

Clothes and a khukuri soaked in a pool of blood were found inside a bag around two kilometers from where Makhim was found hung.

Bodies of the deceased have been sent to Dharan-based B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for a postmortem, said Inspector Ten Narayan Yadav.

A special team from the Central Investigation Bureau, Nepal Police, reached the attack site, and is carrying out investigations, he said.

PANCHTHAR, May 21: A group of masked people murdered nine members of two families at Miklajung rural municipality- 3, Panchthar on Monday night, according to the police.

Sharp weapons were used to kill the families of local Dhanraj Sherma and his father-in-law Bam Bahadur Phiya, said the locals.

Only a member of the families–Sita Khajum, 12, managed to survive the fatal attack. She has been severely injured in the attack. Mutilated bodies of five family members of Dhanraj were found inside the house, while bodies of the four family members of Bam Bahadur were recovered outside, said local Archana Gurung.

Ward chair of the village Hastaraj Phiyak confirmed the attack. The carnage survivor Sita said a group of masked people broke into the house at midnight on Monday and killed the family members with sharp weapons.

Other dead have been identified as Dhanraj, 41, Jasmita Phiyak, 36, Man Kumari Phiyak, 26, six-year-old Iksha Sherma, Yobana Sherma, 13, eight-year-old Muna Sherma, Bam Bahadur, 74 and his wife and 12-year-old Aashika Khajum Limbu. The local people heard about the attack only the following morning as the massacre took place at midnight, said the villagers.

Separate teams from police beat at Dashami bazaar, Area Police Office, Rabi and the district police officers headed to the incident site at 6 am today morning, Inspector Anil Kumar Poudel. The police also confirmed the attack. RSS