Police have arrested Sitaram Tharu, 55, on charges of killing Bhagwani Tharu, 51, of Baijanath Rural Municipality–5, Chamaniya, on March 17. The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute over cutting lentils.
According to police, Sitaram allegedly locked Bhagwani inside her house and set it on fire. As she tried to escape, he chased her into a field and attacked her on the neck with a sickle, killing her on the spot.
In the same incident, the victim’s son, Arjun Tharu, 35, was injured after sustaining head injuries. He is undergoing treatment at Kohalpur Medical College, where he received seven stitches to his head. The victim’s house was also destroyed in the fire.
The accused was arrested at the scene, and further investigation is underway, according to the Area Police Office, Kohalpur. The body has been kept at Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj, for postmortem.