Police have arrested a Nepal Communist Party leader from Belbari Municipality in Morang district on a murder charge.

Yogendra Gurung of Ilam district was arrested on Friday for his alleged involvement in the killing 26-year-old Ramila Rai.

Police Inspector Ram Kumar Rai of Belbari Area Police Office said their investigation found that Gurung had murdered Ramila before throwing her body in the Koshi river. Her body is still missing.

Ramila’s family had lodged a police complaint following her disappearance. She was last seen leaving her house with Yogendra on March 1.

“Ramila and Yogendra had been seeing each other for the past few weeks, and they were together until late night on March 1,” said Inspector Rai. Yogendra had fled the town on March 2 after learning that police were after him.

Police still clueless about couple’s killing

RAJBIRAJ: Police are still clueless about the identity and whereabouts of those involved in the murder of an elderly couple at Khadak Municipality-5 in Saptari district two weeks ago. An unidentified group had murdered Saburi Sah, 75, and his wife Bechani Devi before burning their bodies at their home on February 25. Superintendent of Police Rajendra Bista said the case was being investigated by the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police and the Provincial Police.