KATHMANDU, March 23: A twenty-eight-year-old man wanted in the kidnapping case of a Kathmandu-based businessman was also behind the gruesome murder of a woman presumed to be his girlfriend, the Metropolitan Crime Division disclosed Thursday, giving a new and complex twist to the crime that police officials initially thought was simply a case of kidnapping. 

Prakash Lamichhane, a resident of Bageshwari-Bhaktapur and the prime suspect in the kidnapping of businessman Shyamsundar Agrawal, 62, allegedly killed his girlfriend Radhika Shrestha in order to conceal the crime, police officials said citing preliminary findings of their investigation. Shrestha, the deceased, has also been identified as a key suspect in the kidnapping case. She used to work at Agrawal's shop.

New Road-based businessman Agrawal was kidnapped on March 16 and was later freed after paying Rs 800,000 ransom. Shrestha was killed on the same day of Agrawal's kidnapping. After killing her, Lamichhane had wrapped Shrestha's body in a plastic bag and buried it at Muhanpokhari of Bhaktapur, around 200 meters from his home. Her body was recovered following complaints of the locals.
  
Police said its account is based on confessions of other two suspects -- Kishore Giri and Saroj Ghoresaini of Bhaktapur -- arrested in connection with the kidnapping case.  Lamichhane is still on the run. 

Police failed to explain how long the two had been in relationship. The exact details of the murder also remain unclear. 

 “It appears like some conflicts emerged following the kidnapping. Our investigation shows she was killed as an attempt to cover up the kidnapping case. We haven't found other motives so far,” said SSP Prakash Jung Karki of Metropolitan Police.  Officials involved in the investigation said there could be other motives behind the murder. Police said the whereabouts of Lamichhane remain unknown. 

 
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