DHANGADHI, Dec 29: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sarbendra Khanal on Friday said the police have started an investigation into the rape and murder of Nirmala Panta from a new hypothesis.

The 13-year-old girl was raped and killed in July-end in Kanchanpur. Despite its countless efforts police are clueless about the perpetrator(s).Upon his arrival here in Kanchanpur, Khanal claimed they have already started a 'serious investigation' into the murder case. Saying that they have started the investigation from a whole new perspective, Khanal said the police are committed to resolving the case at any cost. “Police have started very serious and honest investigation. Criminals won't be spared irrespective of their position or status,” said Khanal, who arrived here together with the chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, Niraj Shahi, adding, “I'm hopeful about resolving the case.”IGP Khanal said his team arrived in Kanchanpur after Dilli Bista, Pradip Rawal and Bishal Chaudhary allegedly admitted their involvement in rape in the course of interrogation by police although they changed their statements after their release. “Why did they admit the crime in the first place? Was their confession pre-planned? Our fresh investigation is focused on these aspects,” said Khanal.

Khanal said he had himself interrogated Pradip Rawal and Bishal Chaudhary 'without putting any kind of pressure or threat'.

Bishal was taken to Kathmandu for interrogation after Pradeep was arrested from the capital. “They were kept separately. But their statements were almost similar,” a senior police officer said.

According to police, during police interrogation, Pradip had stated that he knew Nirmala and liked her. "According to Pradip when Nirmala was in problem after her cycle was broken he took Nirmala to a sugarcane field promising a surprise. When Nirmala asked Pradip about the surprise he raped her," the police officer said.

Bishal, who followed Pradip, had told police that he also raped Nirmala and saw bleeding from Nirmala's private parts, according to police.

Both Pradip and Bishal had fled the scene after a dog started barking and locals have also stated that they heard dog barking at around 3 pm, according to police.

After going through the statements, police investigators were convinced that the two were the real culprits. But the police now suspect whether the real culprits got Pradip and Bishal to admit the crime and narrate convincing story to the police to protect themselves. “We are investigating into the rape case suspecting whether the culprits framed Pradip and Bishal to keep them safe from criminal charges,” said a police officer.

 
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