A coal mine operating in East Jaintia Hills District, in the Indian State of Meghlaya. (Photo: Climate Change and Security Program)
Police are investigating a gruesome murder of four people including a Nepali national in the Indian State of Meghalaya.
Out of four individuals killed with their throats slit, only two victims have been identified. According to Dr. Surendra Thapa, the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi, one of the deceased is a local and the other is Rabi Rai of Ilam.
“Two victims among four killed have been identified,” DCM Thapa told Nepalkhabar on Sunday afternoon, “One is local while the other is Rabi Rai from Ilam. The identities of the other two are yet to be established. We are collecting the details in coordination with the local police.”
According to Thapa, the four people were working in a coal mine. The incident site is considered very unsafe for Nepali people.
“The incident site is considered very unsafe for Nepali people. There are coal mines operating illegally. The victims were working in the coal mines which are rarely accessible to outsiders, making the investigation even more complex,” said Thapa.
One of the deceased is Rabi Rai from Ilam. However, his house is yet to be located, said Chief District Officer of Ilam, Kalpana Shrestha. “We are trying to locate Rai’s house with the help of security mechanism,” said Shrestha.
Uma Prasad Chaturvedi, Consular and Senior Superintendent of Police of Nepal Police at the Nepali Embassy in Delhi, told Nepalkhabar that 23-year-old Rai was staying with his elder sister.
Similarly, the third deceased is said to be from Dharan and the fourth one is from Bhojpur, according to a preliminary information. However, this information is yet to be verified.
What do local police say?
Four dead bodies were found behind the Umpleng Bazaar in Jaintia Hills District in the eastern region of Meghalaya on Saturday morning.
According to a press note released by the Office of the Senior Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills District, Khliehriat, the bodies with their hands tied with ropes were found at 7:30 am Saturday. Their throats were slit and the bodies had several knife injuries.
As it appeared to be a crime scene, a joint unit comprising Crime Scene Unit, Mobile Forensic Unit, Magistrate, and independent witnesses carried out investigation into the case. After preparing a site report, the bodies were taken to Civil Hospital, Khliehriat for postmortem.
Officials in Meghalaya have confirmed that one of the deceased was a local resident, while the other three were Nepali nationals. Authorities are tight-lipped about the details surrounding the incident.
The press note issued by the Office of the Senior Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills District, Khliehriat is as follows:
