KATHMANDU, Dec 8: Slowly, all the hidden pages behind Pushpa’s self-immolation case are coming out. Pushpa Neupane burned herself in front of her former fiancés house and Kathmandu Police are investigating to find out the truth behind the incident.

It came to light that after Sudhan and Pushpa’s engagement problems started arising between them. Pushpa wanted to post their engagement pictures on social media but Sudhan denied it and told her not to post the pictures.  

"I asked Pushpa why wasn’t she posting her and Sudhan’s photos online while the rest of the family posted them," Pushpa’s uncle  Uttam Neupane says , "She said that Sudhan had told her not to upload the pictures on social media."

Pushpa told her friends that Sudhan's behavior was gradually changing. Gradually, Pushpa began to doubt Sudhan and disagreement grew between them.

Pushpa's sister's engagement was taking place next Saturday. Pushpa had sewn a blouse for that. She left her house in Buddhanagar around 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon to receive the same. When did Pushpa return with clothes? When did she leave again ? Family members do not know.

Pushpa was seen pouring petrol on herself from a five-liter gallon. A gallon containing half of petrol was recovered, said the police circle, Maharajgunj. Where was the petrol brought from? The matter is being investigated.

"Investigation is being carried out on where the petrol was brought from," says Dineshraj Mainali, SP of District Police Complex, Kathmandu.

The police are collecting footage from the closed circuit (CC) cameras around the incident site. While Pushpa was immolating herself, along with Madhu (Sudhan’s sister), Pushpa's lover Sudhan and parents were also inside the house.

Sudhan imports children's toys and other materials from China. Pushpa had found out that he was having an affair with a Chinese girl. It is alleged that the Chinese girl helped Sudhan to move the business forward when he was in trouble during the Covid-19 lockdown. Relatives of Pushpa have said that Pushpa found a picture of Sudhan with a Sudanese and a Chinese girl.

The investigation officers of Maharajgunj Police Circle said that the dispute between the two had escalated toward October. That is why the date of the wedding could not be fixed.

On Saturday, Sudhan's parents came to Pushpa's house in Buddhanagar and returned the betel nut, dakshina and jewelry given to them during the engagement. Uttam says, “At that time, Sudhan said that they (Pushpa and Sudhan) cannot get along anymore. Then the relationship broke up. At that time Pushpa's family members asked the reason for breaking the relationship. Sudhan's parents replied that it was their son’s decision. Sudhan did not say anything more. Instead, he simply replied, “Pushpa knows.”

“Pushpa was not in a position to say anything,” adds Uttam.

Police arrested Sudhan, his mother Bindu, father Dinesh and his sister Madhu on Monday morning in connection with the incident. Although all members of the family including Sudhan were arrested following the complaint, the court did not allow them to be detained.

Madhu, who was released on appearance bond after being arrested, expresses her anger that she was presented as if she had committed the murder. However, the police said that the investigation is continuing and that they will speak about it only after the investigation.

Pushpa Neupane, 27, the owner of Kelme Showroom in Durbarmarg, was engaged to Sudhan Sangroula, 29. Suddenly, the Sangroula family changed their mind and decided to break the engagement on Saturday. But this was unbearable to the girl. A day after the engagement was broken she went straight to Sudhan’s home in Dhumbarahi, sprinkled petrol on her body and set herself on fire in front of her fiancé’s main gate.

Suddenly around 7:15 pm there was news that Pushpa was burnt in the fire and was in critical condition. Pushpa's father, Purushottam Neupane, was called by Sudhan's father saying that 'a girl who looks like Pushpa is burning'. Purushrottam Neupane urged Sudhan’s father to take her to the hospital immediately.

"If she was rescued immediately and taken to the hospital, the situation could have been different," says uncle Uttam, "When the police took her to the hospital, the body was completely burnt."

 
• Pushpa_Neopane
 
• self-immolation
 
• engagement