Paudel, 30, and Shakhkarmi, 22, were found dead near a bamboo hedge with serious head injuries at Ithuli, Tathali-8 in Bhaktapur on July 30.[break]
During a press meet held at Hanuman Dhoka on Sunday, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devendra Subedi, head of the Crime Division, said preliminary investigation showed that the murder might have been committed with the motive to rob the victims. "It has become difficult to deal with such cases as criminals have been resorting to murder to make quick bucks," he added.
The arrested, all from Bhaktapur, are Sujan Sainju aka Dablu (18) of Magwai-3, Rukesh Kushi (20) of Tailahi-1, Niran Manandhar (19) of Tilangi-4, Rabin Mushyakho aka Mantri (19) of Kwathondo-4, Kiran Suwal aka Aalu (18) of Thathula-4 and Anil Shakhkarmi (21) of Kamal Binayak. Two others are under investigation, according to the police.
According to SSP Subedi, the unsuccessful plan to rob the owner of BM brick factory led to the murder of Paudel and Shakhkarmi, who happened to meet the gang on their way home. Sujan had planned to rob the factory owner with assistance from his brother Sundar Sainju who worked at the factory.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Shyam Bahadur Khatri, who is coordinating the investigation, said, "When the plan to rob the factory owner failed, the gang robbed and murdered the two." According to the police, the looters used knives, canes, bricks and stones to kill the victims and made away with mobile phone and Rs 3,200.
Radha Paudel, mother of deceased Paudel, said, "The murderers must be sentenced to lifetime imprisonment."
Those arrested have been handed over to the Bhaktapur Police.
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