Devraj Dhungel, 21, of Kotgaun, Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-4, Sindhuli, is one such unique accused in the custody of Lalitpur Police, who brutally murdered two people in two nights, disposed of the bodies, and then started searching for the same person himself.

In the past, there have been instances where the ‘murderer’ himself has taken to the streets to demand justice for the victim, but the way in which Dhungel killed two people and disposed of the bodies is no less than a scene from a movie, according to investigation officers. ‘The Hindi film may have had an influence,’ analyzes SP Kazi Kumar Acharya of the Valley Crime Investigation Office, ‘Otherwise, how can someone be so cruel at this age?’

A complaint was filed at the District Police Complex, Lalitpur, on 20 Mangsir, requesting a search and rescue operation, saying that 25-year-old Keshavraj Hayu of Sindhuli had been missing. The police had not been able to get any important information about his whereabouts. Suddenly, on 20 Poush at around 3 pm, the police received a report that a ‘suspicious object’ had been seen in a well in Sheraphant, Mahalaxmi Municipality-8, Lalitpur.

‘At that time, there was a call saying that there was a strong smell coming from the sack, it could be the body of a human or a dog,’ says Lalitpur Police Chief SSP Hovindra Bogati, ‘When the police team went to check, the body was found wrapped in a sack and thrown into the well.’

In the photo of the incident received by Kantipur, it is seen wrapped in a sack and taped shut. This well is the same place where Hayu used to run an agricultural firm until recently. He had recently left to go abroad.

‘After removing the sack, it was found that the body was that of Sunil alias Keshavraj Hayu, 25, a resident of Tapkedanda, Golanjor Rural Municipality-5, Sindhuli,’ SSP Bogati told Kantipur. ‘After that, a team including the Valley Crime Investigation Office started an investigation.’ According to officers deployed at the scene, when the police team reached the spot, Devraj Dhungel, 21, a native of Sindhuli and a resident of Changathali, Mahalaxmi Municipality-7, Lalitpur, was also there. In fact, he was related to the Hayu family. That is why after Sunil alias Keshavraj went missing, he and his family had been cooperating in the search. ‘No one suspected him at first because he was on the lookout,’ says an officer involved in the investigation, ‘But, a pair of slippers found near the scene became an important clue for the investigation.’ According to the police, two slippers were found near the well, and there were also bare feet in the muddy area.

‘When we searched to find out who the slippers belonged to, the residents pointed to Devraj, but he said they were not his,’ he said, ‘But when Dhungel’s movements seemed suspicious, we started checking his social media.’ In the process, it was found that he had previously filmed a video wearing the same slippers.

When the police started questioning him, he started telling suspicious things. The police took him into custody and started investigating. ‘We initially thought he might have some information about the incident, but later he tried to fool the police,’ the officer added, ‘It seemed that he was trying to hide a lot of things.’

Sometimes he said that Hayukai’s friend Paruhang had killed him, and sometimes he tried to convince the police that he could not speak because he had been threatened with death. He had also named a person living in Morang, whose location was around that time. However, according to the officers, everything pointed to Dhungel.

Meanwhile, the police learned that Jayaram Adhikari, 20, of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-4, Kotgaun, had also come to Kathmandu. After the incident, his mobile phone was switched off.

‘His mobile was switched on in Sindhuli recently, and while searching for him, we found him grazing cattle at a relative’s house in Sindhuli,’ said an officer. ‘A Sindhuli police team reached the spot and a team was also sent from Kathmandu.’ Finally, the officer said that Hayu had been murdered as per Dhungel’s plan.

Then he was asked where Hayu’s friend Paruhang Rai was. ‘He revealed that Paruhang had also been murdered,’ says SP Acharya. ‘Based on the statement, the body of 21-year-old Paruhang Rai, a resident of Arun Rural Municipality-3 in Bhojpur, was found in a bush in Suryabinayak Municipality-7, Deurali Bhanjyang.’

After Rai’s body was found, Dhungel finally confessed to the crime. According to SP Acharya, he had killed Hayu by hitting him on the head with a hammer on November 24. It has been found that he was taken from the scene of the murder in Jyamirekot about two days later, taken on a motorcycle and thrown into a well. 'Two days after the murder, the body was taken out and taken on a motorcycle for about 25 minutes,' Acharya said.

According to the police, Dhungel had taken 500,000 rupees from Hayu, saying that he would send him to Bolivia for foreign employment, and 600,000 rupees from Rai. 'It seems that he killed him so that he would not have to return the same money,' he added, 'Jayaram is a close friend of Devraj, and he was involved in the murder by promising to give him 200,000 rupees.' According to the police, he seems to have been used specifically in the management of the body.

According to the officers, when they took Rai to the forest, he did not know that his friend Hayu had been killed. ‘It seems that they even took bottles of alcohol with them, saying they were going to have fun,’ the police say, ‘but, Dhungel had lured them and planned to kill them.’