A 29-year-old female teacher was found dead under suspicious circumstances inside the hostel of Arunodaya English Boarding School in Kankarbhitta, Mechinagar Municipality-6, Jhapa.
The deceased has been identified as Kabita Kumari Dhungana, a native of Lalbandi-2, Sarlahi. She had been living at the school hostel alongside her 30-year-old husband, Ratan Gupta, a resident of Birgunj-16, Parsa, with whom she had an inter-caste marriage.
According to District Police Office Jhapa Information Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ranjan Awale, the incident came to light on Monday after School Principal Durga Bahadur Luintel notified the authorities. The couple had been residing at the school premises since April.
The school, which had remained closed since July 21, resumed operations on Monday. However, the couple were absent, and their room was locked from the outside with no response to phone calls.
Principal Luintel reported to have received a WhatsApp message from Ratan Gupta around 4:30 pm on Monday, stating that his wife had been found hanging inside the kitchen and that he had fled out of fear after moving the body to another room. Conversely, local residents reported seeing Gupta leaving the school premises carrying two bags on Sunday evening.
Police personnel, in the presence of local public representatives, forced open the door to find the victim's body lying supine on a bed in a decomposed state.
The body has been sent to the Provincial Hospital in Bhadrapur for an autopsy. Police have informed the victim's family members are currently en route to Jhapa, while a dedicated investigation team led by Police Inspector Jas Bahadur Limbu from the Kankarbhitta Area Police Office has launched a manhunt for the absconding husband.
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