Police arrested a couple for their alleged involvement in the murder of a 13-year-old girl in Lamjung district.

According to Area Police Office, Bhoteodar, 45-year-old Raj Kumar Pariyar and his wife Jalu Pariyar of Shrimjyanka in Jordi Rural Municipality-3 were held in suspicion of murdering the minor on April 22.

Police Inspector Rajendra Thapa at the Area Police Office, Bhoteodar, said, “After seeing the body in suspicious circumstances, we reached a conclusion that this is a murder case, not a suicide. So we have initiated a further investigation into the case.”

After a preliminary investigation, police revealed that the minor and her maternal uncle, aunt were at home as her father and mother had gone outside after lunch on the fateful Monday afternoon.

According to Police Inspector Thapa, the couple strangled the minor to death and hanged her after fearing the girl would reveal his attempt to rape to her parents.

Lamjung Police Chief Yadav Dhakal said the couple were presented before the court on Friday and remanded in custody for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the rape accused has confessed his crime to police.