MORANG, Oct 25: The decapitated body of a 13-year-old girl was found in a forest in northern Morang on Friday, in what police described as a gruesome murder.
The victim has been identified as Anshu Gautam, the younger daughter of Nabin Gautam of School Chowk, Letang Municipality-2. She had been missing since October 7 and was found dead 18 days later in the Belbari–Chisang Community Forest, which lies on the border between Letang and Belbari.
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According to Morang District Police Chief Kabit Katwal, the girl’s head and body were discovered separately and had started decomposing, spreading a foul smell in the area. “Locals who had gone to collect fodder saw the body and informed the police at around 1:30 PM,” Katwal said. “A team from the Letang Area Police Office immediately reached the site. I personally visited the scene to oversee the investigation.”
Katwal added that the police, along with locals, had been searching for the missing girl since the report of her disappearance. “We have already begun investigations from multiple angles. The exact cause of death will be determined after the post-mortem and forensic reports,” she said.
Police suspect that the girl may have been sexually assaulted before being killed, as her clothes were found removed near the body. “The case is suspicious. The head and torso were found separated, possibly by a sharp weapon. It could be a case of sexual violence or an animal attack—we cannot confirm until the investigation is complete,” Katwal stated.
Anshu came from a low-income family and was a fifth grader at Laxmi Secondary School in Letang. Her body has been sent to BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan for a post-mortem.
The incident has sparked shock and outrage among locals, who have demanded that the perpetrator be immediately arrested and brought to justice. “Judging by the nature of the incident, it appears the girl was raped and murdered with a sharp weapon,” a local said.
