(Updated) After a mother-son duo was found dead in their house in Kyamin of Tanahun yesterday, the kin of the deceased today picketed the District Police Office suspecting the incident as murder and demanding a fair investigation. Rita Thapa, 24, and her five-year-old son Misan were found hanging from the ceiling of Thapa’s house in Kyamin-2, Majhfant yesterday. Today, more than 300 people, including the kin of the deceased from Mirlung-6, left for the district police office in a reserved bus and picketed the office demanding early and fair probe into the incident. They have accused Rita’s in-laws of murdering her and Misan and sought stern action against the guilty. “The incident seems to be a murder as far as the nature of the incident is concerned. Hence, there should be a fair investigation so that the guilty are punished,” said Rita’s aunt Sushila Majhi, adding, “Rita’s in-laws were in a haste to remove the bodies with the help of police without even bothering to inform us. Such behaviour has added to our suspicion.” Rita’s in-laws, however, denied the charge and denied they had a hand in the incident. On his part, SP Krishna Kumar Mahat said an investigation into the incident was underway. He added that Rita’s husband Man Bahadur Thapa was under police surveillance. Man Bahadur is a head constable at the Nepali Army Arjunban Battalion, Morang. “The incident occurred at a time when Man Bahadur had come home from Morang,” said Rita’s brother Kishor Pande. He cited Rita’s neighbours as saying that Man Bahadur used to inflict physical torture on Rita. The kin of the deceased said they wouldn’t receive the bodies until the truth behind the incident was revealed. The agitating kin has also formed a struggle committee to pile pressure on the police for an early and fair investigation. “We will have no option but to resort to agitation if they fail to investigate the incident and punish the guilty,” said Bal Bahadur Pande, coordinator of the struggle committee.

Update... Man arrested in suspicion of killing wife and daughter Mohan Thapa, a police constable has been arrested on April 27 in suspicion of killing his wife, 25-year-old Rita Thapa and his 5-year-old son on Tuesday, April 14. Thapa was arrested for investigation after Rita's family organized a picket at District Police Office claiming that she and her son were murdered.  Child Clubs in Tanahun today demanded a fair investigation into the ‘suspicious deaths’ of mother and son at Camin VDC in Tanahun. Rita Thapa, 24, and her five-year-old son Mission were found hanging from a rope in their room on April 26. Western Child Club networks and district-based child clubs issuing a statement have demanded a fair investigation into the deaths. On suspicion that they were murdered, Rita’s parents filed an FIR against her husband Man Bahadur and father-in-law Ram Bahadur Thapa on Thursday. Their bodies have been brought to TU Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj for post-mortem. Issuing the statement, Joint Secretary Durga Bhandari and Forum Chairman Albina Poudel said nobody can seize the right to live. The statement issued by child clubs demanded a fair investigation into the deaths and punishment for the guilty. The deceased’s kin had picketed the District Police Office after their bodies were found, demanding that the police bring to light the truth behind the incident at the earliest.

Tanahun police said they were collecting evidence in relation to the suspicious death of a woman and her son at Kyamin of Tanahun on April 26. According to DSP Surendra Bahadur Gurung of District Police Office, the post-mortem report showed that the mother-son duo did not have internal injuries. “Hence, the investigation has been centred around the question whether it was a murder or suicide,” said DSP Gurung.