Sindhupalchowk police takes the lead in Bomjan probe

SINDHUPALCHOWK, Jan 9: The District Police Office (DPO), Sindhupalchowk, has been assigned to take the lead in the investigation of the Bandegaun-based ashram of Ram Bahadur Bomjan, a self-proclaimed ascetic who has been charged with sexual assaults and disappearance of several of his disciples.

Sancha Lal Waiba of Hetauda, Makawanpur, had gone missing from Bombjom’s ashram. Following his disappearance, his son Mahendra had filed the case at the DPOs in both the Makawanpur and Sindhupalchowk districts last Wednesday, accusing Bomjan of murdering his father and burying him in the ashram. 

The DPO, Makawanpur forwarded the complaint to the DPO, Sindhupalchowk as the incident reportedly occurred in Sindhupalchowk. With this, the responsibility of investigation has fully fallen on the DPO, Sindhupalchowk.

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“Full responsibility of the investigation is now upon us after the DPO Makawanpur handed over the victim’s complaint to us,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Mukunda Marasini, chief of the DPO, Sindhupalchowk. “The Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) will only assist us.”

According to police sources, the complaint filed by Mahendra mentions that Sanchalal was murdered in the ashram itself and his body was buried in a patch nearby. It further states that Bomjan and his followers sprinkled 20 packets of salt on the body in an attempt to cover up the crime.

Following the complaint, a joint team of CIB and DPO, Sindhupalchowk raided Bomjan’s ashram at Bandegaun on Friday and sealed off the place for two days. 

Nine empty wrappers of salt were recovered from the site but there was no trace of the dead body at the site. Police are currently investigation the packets and charcoal samples recovered from the site. 

Along with Salchalal, three others disciples are said to have gone missing from Bomjan’s ashram. Three people reportedly went missing from the Bandegaun-based ashram while a fourth is said to have disappeared from one of the ashrams belonging to Bomjan.