KATHMANDU, April 2: Police have arrested four individuals on the charge of forcing 71-year-old Man Bahadur Khadka of Siranchowk Rural Municipality-7 to commit suicide.

The son of the deceased lodged a complaint leading to the detention of 55-year-old Buddhi Kumari Gurung, 60-year-old Santa Bahadur Gurung, 45-year-old Minu Gurung, and Pushpa Kumari Gurung, all of the same ward. They face charges of abetment to suicide with a case registered against them on Sunday.

Khadka was found dead hanging from a tree near his house last Saturday. According to the police, on March 28, Khadka had been grazing goats in the forest close to his home when he met Buddhi Kumari Gurung and her husband Santa Bahadur Gurung, who were also grazing cattle.

During the interaction, Gurung expressed a need for some money and hoped for Khadka’s assistance. Khadka replied, “I will be available whenever needed.” However, his statement was misinterpreted and spread among the villagers.

On March 29, a women's group led by Minu Gurung, president of Navajyoti Women's Group, and Pushpa Kumari Gurung, secretary, held a meeting and discussed Khadka's actions.

Under undue pressure and influence, Khadka was falsely accused of indecent behavior towards Gurung and unjustly fined Rs 15,000 by the group, exploiting his fear and defaming him in the community. 

SP Basudev Pathak of the Gorkha District Police Office said that the investigation concluded that Khadka committed suicide on March 30 due to defamation and false accusations.

After the incident, the son of the deceased lodged a complaint with the police against Gurung couple, women's group president and secretary, and the police took them into custody and registered a case.

 
• detention
 
• abetment
 
• suicide