Lajin Thapa, 17, from Badigad Rural Municipality-1 in Baglung was allegedly beaten to death by his colleagues after he refused to give his mobile phone to them.
Thapa had left his home in the evening of July 17 to celebrate the birthday of Asim Ban of the same locality. His body was retrieved from a local river last Thursday.
The District Police Office has apprehended Rem Bahadur BK, 20, Sudip BK, 19, Asim Ban, 16, and Dadi Pariyar, 15, on the charge of their involvement in the crime.
It is learned that the group celebrated the birthday and consumed alcohol till late night. On their way back home, they engaged in a dispute over the mobile phone set, and the disagreement led to the killing of Thapa, said District Police Office's Superintendent of Police, Phanidra Prasai.
The group allegedly hid the body at a location about half an hour away from the incident site.
Following the dispute, two (Rem Bahadur and Dadi) of the group followed Lajin to his home and attacked him upon reaching an isolated location. It is learned that a nine-year-old child had also joined the birthday celebration.
After Lajin's whereabouts remained unknown for a week, the police intensified the search with the help of technical experts, sniffer dogs and drones.
Lajin, a grade 11 student at the Saipal College in Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu used to return home on time.
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