The District Administration Office of Chitwan imposed a curfew on the highway and its adjoining areas in Rapti Municipality after eight police personnel were injured in a clash with irate local residents over the mysterious death of Sujita Bhandari.
According to Chief District Officer Premlal Lamichhane, the curfew imposed from 7:30 pm yesterday would remain in force till 7:30 pm today.
He added that the curfew was imposed to bring the situation under control as people had obstructed the highway, burned tires and vandalized government as well as private property over Bhandari’s death under mysterious circumstances.
Injured in the clash, four personnel of Armed Police Force, including Deputy Superintendent of Police and four Nepal Police personnel are being treated in Bharatpur.
Bhandari, who went missing on June 25, was found dead in a nearby community forest on Sunday evening. Her body has been sent to Kathmandu for post-mortem.
Though investigation into the case is underway, local residents are agitated and have accused the police of not taking the matter seriously immediately upon being informed by Bhandari’s family about her missing status.
Spokesperson of Chitwan District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Surya Thapa said that Bhandari’s mobile phone was found near the body on Tuesday.
“The phone’s battery was found on Monday. The phone did not have a SIM card, but had a memory card,” DSP Thapa said.
Bhandari, who left home in the morning of June 25 with her mobile phone, had contacted her sister Kabita at noon the same day and informed her sister that she had been kidnapped.
According to Kabita, her sister lost her life after the police did not search for her despite being immediately informed about the phone call.
