Two girls died under mysterious circumstances in Chitwan district on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as 10-year-old Deepika Sunar and 11-year-old Deepsila Pariyar, both residents of Ramrajyapur in Madi-6 of the district.

The victim families, with the help of local rights activists, filed a complaint at District Police Office on Sunday saying that one of the girls was raped before murder.

The girls had gone to attend a picnic programme with friends. But later they were found submerged at Majuwa pond and stains of blood were seen in their eyes and private parts. The girls later died while being rescued to hospital for treatment.

The victim families say the deaths can’t be accepted as natural and lodged a police complaint seeking investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that police have arrested two suspects and started investigation.

Right activists have urged the police to identify the culprit and provide justice to the victim families.

Traces of blood and wounds were found on Pariyar’s body. “The drowned person body looks swollen but no such symptoms were seen,” said Pariyar’s Uncle Kumar Pariyar. “We suspect the bodies were thrown in pond after the rape and murder.”

“Looking at the deaths, we suspect the bodies were thrown into the water after crime,” said Mina Kharel, chairperson of Adarsha Nari Bikas Kendra, a rights organisation working for women in the district. “We have piled pressure on the authority for fair investigation.”

More than a dozen of rights groups and organisations have sought investigation into the death citing it mysterious.

The deceased bodies have been kept at Bharatpur Hospital.

Police Chief SP Deepak Thapa said an investigating team has been formed led by inspector Anjana Shrestha to probe into the matter. “The team will begin investigation after receiving postmortem report,” said Thapa.