BAITADI, March 25: The DNA of the vaginal swab of Bhagarathi Bhatta who was raped and murdered in Baitadi district in early February has matched that of the accused. 

Bhagarathi, 17, of Dogdakedar Rural Municipality was raped and murdered on February 3.  

As per the test carried out at the Central Forensic Lab of Nepal Police, the DNA of the vaginal swab sample of Bhagarathi has matched that of accused Dinesh Bhatta, 16. 

Dinesh has been kept at a child correction centre for investigation. Earlier, Dinesh had told his father that he did not rape and murder Bhagarathi. He even mentioned the name of an employee of the village and said that he had threatened him and forced him to confess to the crime.

With Dinesh's DNA matching Bhagarathi's vaginal swab, the evidence of his involvement in the incident has become stronger. The medical test carried out at the District Hospital showed that she was murdered after rape. 

Bhagarathi was murdered after rape on February 3 when she was returning home from school and found dead in Lablek jungle the next day. Police had made public Dinesh Bhatta as the accused on February 17. Bhagarathi and Dinesh are sister and brother in relation and are from the same village.

 
• DNA
 
• Bhagarathi_Bhatta