According to police, the victim, Susmita Shah of Kholagaun VDC-15, had left home to collect firewood in the nearby forest on Monday at around 4 pm. Her family started a frantic search after she failed to show up even after late evening.
But on Tuesday, they found her body hanging from a tree.
The body of the deceased has been kept at Jajarkot district hospital for post mortem. Dr Deepak Pun of the hospital confirmed that she had been gang-raped and murdered subsequently.
"Some men had called and threatened her from an unknown phone number a few days ago. That must be in connection with the murder," said Nirmal Shah, a local from the same village. Susmita was an 11th grader at Himalayan Higher Secondary School.
The whole village is in mourning following the tragic incident. Locals have demanded that guilty should be booked at the earliest.
Police said they are investigating the case very seriously. "We have given priority to the case and investigation is underway," said police inspector Pushpa Kamal Shrestha of Area Police Office, Chaurjahari.
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