With family members of the victim claiming it to be a case of murder, something Bhoomika´s husband has denied, the case has become complicated by each passing day. [break]
Married to Aakash Jatia, a fellow student at Boston University, USA in January 2011, Kochhar had been living in Kathmandu since tying the nuptial knot.
She was found hanging in her own room at Chundevi, Maharajgunj on June 15.
According to the police officials involved in the investigation, both post mortem and viscera reports confirmed that the death of Kochhar was caused by hanging. As the victim´s family members were not convinced with the reports, police is sending the samples for viscera test in the US on the request of the grieving family members.
The victim´s family has maintained that since there was no apparent reason that could incite Bhoomika to commit suicide, the death could have been a case of murder. They have even launched a Facebook page and a separate website to garner support to get the culprits punished.
According to SSP Subodh Ghimire, Chief of Metropolitan Police Range Office, Kathmandu, police investigations so far have failed to clearly establish whether Bhoomika´s death resulted from a suicide or murder.
“Our investigations are still underway,” he said. “It would not be appropriate to comment on the case until we get final reports.”
Ghimire said samples have been sent to forensic department for the blood-poison test. “As per the request of victim family, we are planning to send the samples abroad for viscera test,” SSP Ghimire said.
Bhoomika´s parents have been claiming that the cause of her death could be either homicide or a forced suicide.
Meanwhile, a New York-based online media quoted Steve Israel, a US congressman, urging the US government to hold or suspend all or part of the aid amount given to Nepal. “You shouldn´t be able to get US citizens´ money if you can´t ensure justice for US citizens,” the news portal CBS New York quoted the congressman as saying.
“I will call for a hold or a suspension of all or part of that $27 million until the US Embassy can certify that there was an investigation, that it was full, fair and honest.”
Bhoomika´s parents and friends have blamed her husband and mother-in-law for the death based on the emails she had sent to them before her death.
The emails, according to family sources, reveal that she was begging for her husband´s love, understanding and support and she was undergoing psychological torture.
“We have recorded statement from Jatiya´s family, including her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law and servants. We are currently studying the statements along with the evidences gathered from the spot,” a police official involved in the investigation told Republica.
The official also said it is not justifiable to allege the police of not investigating the case properly. “We have been doing our best. It takes some time to investigate such complicated cases,” said the official.
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