The murder of Indira Bhusal, a then CPN-UML Bardiya district leader shot dead at Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality-5 on August 28, 2011, continues to remain a mystery. Less than a week after the murder, Ramkali Sunar, believed to be the only witness to Bushal’s murder, was also found dead in a nearby forest.

But police investigations are still clueless in the twin murders even though seven years have elapsed since the incident.  Families of the victims complained that the police haven’t been able to find the whereabouts of the killers despite repeated assurances by several police officers who were transferred as district police chief.

Following mounting criticism from several quarters, then DIG Keshav Prasad Adhikari had initiated investigation seeking all the documents from the police office. The investigation has remained incomplete though the former DIG directed the police administration to look into the murder incident.   

A group of around 4-5 unidentified persons had attacked Bhusal at her house her house in then Sorhawa VDC-2.  A week later Sunar was found dead at Bansgadi-Mainapokhari forest with her throat slit. Police have been suspecting that Sunar’s murder was linked with Bhusal.

Right after Bhusal’s murder, a Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) team led by Bimal Shrestha had launched a probe into the murder. Sunar was murdered even as the investigation was underway.

Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality-8 Chief and the then UML’s district member Indra Luitel said that rather than the case being a mystery, the investigation processes carried out by the then police chiefs were ineffective adding that the police should reinvestigate the case.

“The initial investigations carried out by the police were weak and imperfect,” said Luitel, “It is unfortunate that the perpetrators of the crime are yet to be nabbed.”

Province 5 DIG Sher Bahadur Basnet has informed that the twin murder of Bhusal and Sunar are being reinvestigated from a different perspective. “We are looking over the files of other murder cases that took places in Banke, Dang among other districts,” said DIG Basnet, “We will build a strong case so that the culprits will not have a chance to escape.”

Meanwhile, Bhushal’s brother, Pushpa Bhusal had earlier announced to award Rs2 million to anyone who catches his sister’s murder.