The involvement of Saroj Sharma's friends in the kidnapping and murder of 33-year-old Saroj Sharma from Jhapa has been revealed. Police investigation has revealed that they, lured by her luxurious lifestyle, murdered her on 9 Kartik after kidnapping her with the intention of collecting ransom.

According to the investigation officers, the gang involved in the kidnapping and murder was caught while following a pair of slippers found with the burning car. According to Koshi State Police Chief DIG Ishwar Karki, Sharma's friends Sunil Shah, 27, of Shivasatakshi-10, and Rahul Shah, 23, have been arrested on charges of involvement in the kidnapping and murder. One more person is absconding. 'He was arrested while trying to flee to India through the Jogbani border crossing,' Karki said. Sharma, who lives in Kathmandu, had been missing since 9 Kartik while at his home in Jhapa. Immediately, the family filed a complaint with the police for a search. Four days later, at 10:30 pm, the police received a report that the car he was driving, Ba Pra 01 30 Cha 7194, was burning in the Nichajhoda swamp forest area in Mechinagarpalika-13. ‘A slipper and a mask were found at the scene, and when they searched for them, they found that the slipper belonged to Sunil,’ said an officer involved in the investigation. ‘When he was leaving home to meet a friend, Saroj had also given him Sunil’s number to contact him on another WhatsApp if his phone did not work.’ The officer says that the investigation narrowed down after his slipper was found at the scene while tracing the number. The team then arrested him on 14 Kartik.

Based on their statements, the police found Sunil’s body buried under a bridge on the Hulaki Highway in Jhapa Rural Municipality-5. ‘Since it is a border area, they may have planned to take it to India,’ says DIG Karki. ‘It may also have been that they could wash it away when heavy rains come and take it there, even the pit was not deep.’

According to the police, it has been revealed that the arrested people called Saroj saying that they would sell gold cheaply. ‘Saroj’s lifestyle was very luxurious, he used to give Sunil and Rahul 10-20 thousand rupees from time to time, so there was a plan to kidnap and recover the money,’ said a Jhapa police officer involved in the investigation. ‘Recently, it seems that he has been calling saying that he has the stolen gold and will give it to him cheaply.’

Police officers say that when he came home on Dashain, he had a quarrel with his family, who had 75 lakh rupees, and told them to collect more money and buy gold. However, Saroj and Rahul did not have the gold as he had been told. Instead, they had dug a hole and buried some to show that they had hidden the gold in the Dahi Jhoda community forest. "The plan was to take Saroj to the forest to show him the gold, make him unconscious, and kidnap him and take him to India to demand ransom," the officer said. "However, the plan was foiled when Saroj regained consciousness and started screaming and resisting."