Doctors who conducted an autopsy on the body of Manisha Gharti Magar, sister of national footballer Bimal Gharti Magar, said that the cause of her death is hanging.

“We cannot say if it is suicidal or homicidal. The investigators have to look into it,” said one of the doctors involved in the examination.

The body of Manisha, 17, who was found dead on Thursday morning at her home in Bardaghat Municipality, Nawalparasi, was brought to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj for post-mortem.

The doctor said there were marks around her neck, as in a case of hanging. There were no wounds in the body, said the doctor. “There are also no signs of rape or thrashing.”

Sources at the forensic unit of the TUTH said it will take another two days for the forensic report to be ready.

Following the death, police arrested Rudra Narayan Chaudhary, with whom Manisha was believed to have an affair for the last four years.

In his statement to the police, Rudra said that he was tipsy and had a dispute with Manisha on Wednesday night. He claimed that he had slapped her and then slept outside her house. “I saw her hanging from the ceiling using a shawl when I woke up at around 11pm.” Rudra told the police.

Superintendent of Police Rajendra Chaudhary, chief of the Nawalparasi district police office, said they will conduct a polygraph test on Rudra on Sunday to see if he is lying. “So far he has been consistent with his statement.”

Meanwhile, footballer Bimal, who returned to Kathmandu from Belgium after the tragedy, was seen mourning along with his mother at the TUTH. Several footballers from the national team, as well as well-wishers and relatives, reached the hospital to console the bereaved family.