In parliament, CPN-UML lawmakers demanded investigation into the death of Chari, whose body was found with four bullet wounds in Bhimdhunga, 7 km south of Kathmandu.

Relatives of the dead have claimed that police killed him in a fake encounter. Chari’s supposed girlfriend Khusbu Oli, Miss Teen of 2006, told reporters on Wednesday that it was “revenge killing” from police inspector Kumud Dhungel. She said she repeatedly turned down the police officer’s attempt to court her.

“He [Chari] was online on Viber till the morning and changed his Viber picture twice,” said Oli, speaking to reporters at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) on Wednesday night.

But SSP Pushkar Karki, head of Metropolitan Police Crime Division, dismissed the allegations saying the police had responded in self-defence. He reiterated that the motorcycle-borne assailant had opened fire at the police.

Some have questioned the police narrative that Adhikari was shot in the chest while he was speeding away on a motorcycle, arguing that the bullets would have been lodged in his back in such a case. CPN-UML leaders claimed that Chari was caught in Kalanki. He was the UML’s Dhading district regional deputy chairperson.

In parliament, UML leaders from Dhading, Adhikari’s home district, demanded an independent enquiry into the incident. They have also called for suspension of SSP Karki “for staging a fake encounter”.

Doctors at TUTH said the autopsy had not been conducted until Thursday as the deceased’s family had to be present for the process.

UML leader Rajendra Pandey said that not a drop of blood was spotted at the scene where the gangster was claimed to have died in an encounter. “Police officials involved in the extra-judicial killing should be booked,” he demanded.

Another UML lawmaker, Guru Burlakoti asked the police to make public the details of its personnel said to have been injured in the cross-fire. Another UML lawmaker and former minister Ganga Lal Tuladhar said the killing was “pre-mediated.”

Prem Suwal of Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party said the killing reminded him of the Panchayat era when political prisoners were gunned down in cold blood, falsely charging them with attempt to flee during jail transfer.

Speaker Subas Nembang on Thursday asked Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam to apprise Parliament on the incident. His ruling followed an uproar in the House.

Meanwhile, over 200 UML supporters reached Balkhu to draw the party’s attention on the incident. In a meeting with Adhikari supporters at the UML headquarters on Thursday, UML Chairman Oli rubbished media reports of “encounter”, calling it an extra-judicial case of killing. “It was a pre-mediated fake encounter. An independent parliamentary panel should look into this matter,” said Oli.

Party workers met Home Minister Gautam, who is a UML vice-chairman, early in the morning, demanding suspension of SSP Karki.

Police have a number of cases against Adhikari of attempted murder, extortion, assault and possession of arms and running illegal business. Adhikari began his notorious deeds in 2003, abetting Kumar Shrestha “Ghainte” in Samakhusi. He broke with Ghainte in 2008 to operate his own “business”.

Adhikari was at large after a shooting incident in 2008. He surrendered in 2009 after the police had issued a shoot-at-sight order. He was released after nine months in jail.

Adhikari was in the spotlight on July 6 last year when he was shot at by one of his gang members, Radhe Bhandari. Police later arrested him too after it was revealed that a pistol used by Bhandari actually belonged to Chari.

Considered close to UML chief Oli, Adhikari’s involvement is suspected also in the shooting of Nepali Congress member Min Krishna Maharjan in Lalitpur earlier. The prime accused, Ramesh Bahun, was caught in India.