Leaving her three-year-old daughter at home to open her shop in the morning and returning late in the evening was the routine of Pokhara's Sirjana Poudel KC. After losing her husband, the 42-year-old Sirjana, who was struggling for a lonely life and the future of her children, ended her struggle in a tragic way at 7:15 pm on 25 Chaitra at the Sahib Chowk in Pokhara. The attack by her nephew, who was waiting with a knife to kill his own mother-in-law, not only turned Pokhara's central market into a bloodbath, but also exposed the culmination of a property dispute and revenge within a family.

Krishna Chhetri, who came down from Parbat to Pokhara three decades ago and ran a goat slaughterhouse in Malepatan, amassed a huge fortune in Pokhara by selling goat meat and dishes. He made his name as a 'goat butcher'. 11 years ago, his eldest wife committed suicide by consuming poison. After his wife's death, he had an affair with Sirjana Poudel. Sirjana of Rupa Rural Municipality-1, Kaski, had also divorced her husband and was living with her family. She got married at the age of 15 and her 26-year-old daughter and 24-year-old son live with her ex-husband.

Krishna's wife had passed away and Sirjana was divorced, so the marriage was agreed upon by both families. Krishna has two daughters and a son from his first wife. Sirjana gave birth to a daughter 4 years ago. The eldest wife's son and daughter and Sirjana did not get along well. There were constant arguments and quarrels. Krishna also passed away on 15 Bhadra 080. He died on the fifth day after being taken to the hospital due to 'stomach pain'.

On the 13th day after Krishna escaped from the house after doing his chores, there was a big fight. Sirjana's brother Keshavraj Poudel said that Jethipatti's son Gaurav KC threatened to kill Sirjana. The dispute in the family further escalated when it was discovered that Krishna had transferred his property to Jethipatti's daughter Shanti and son Gaurav KC. It was revealed that Krishna had transferred the two-and-a-half-storey house built for 5 aanas in Zero Kilometer and the 17 aanas of land in Malepatan to Shanti and Gaurav. Since his younger daughter Jyoti KC had already married, she did not have the document in her name.

Sirjana came to know that Krishna had transferred the 7 aanas of land in Sedi near Lakeside to his mother Tulsi Chhetri before his death and that the 13 aanas of land in Birauta were mortgaged to the bank. After her husband's death, Sirjana had been living in a mud house on Sedi's land with her daughter. She used to run a shoe shop by renting a shutter in Prithvi Chowk. ‘The day after the death, the land had already been registered and the land had been passed through the land revenue office,’ said Sirjana’s brother Keshavraj. ‘I came to know about all this when I went to the ward number 5 office to register my son-in-law’s death.’

A month later, Sirjana filed a case in the Kaski District Court demanding the cancellation of the remaining portion of the deed. The Kaski Court ruled that the remaining portion of the deed would be cancelled and that all the property would be divided into three parts. With such a decision, Sirjana would get only one part of the other three parts from Krishna’s share, namely her son, daughter and herself. Sirjana appealed to the Pokhara High Court against the Kaski Court’s decision to divide the house and land in Pokhara and about 150 ropanis of Parbat land in three parts, namely Krishna, his mother and father. She demanded that the entire property be divided into six parts, namely Krishna’s father, mother, one son and one daughter from her eldest side, herself and her 4-year-old daughter. The high court upheld the district court's decision, saying that it was not possible to do so. 'The sister was preparing to go to the Supreme Court, and this incident happened at this time,' Keshavraj said, 'At this time, another character was created and the murder was committed.'

The facts revealed after the District Police Office, Kaski, arrested the two accused within 48 hours of the incident confirm that this murder was not a momentary impulse but a very finely crafted 'death trap.' The Kaski District Court's decision in favor of Sirjana in the case related to the mailbox added further tension to the family dispute and ultimately led to the murder, according to the initial conclusion of the police. The nephew of Sirjana, Santosh alias Shishir KC, and his accomplice Kushal Pariyar, who stabbed Sirjana, have been arrested.

According to the police, the two had been sitting in front of Sirjana's shoe shop in Prithvi Chowk since noon and were performing Reiki. They followed them on scooters as they closed the shop and were returning on foot from the auditorium chowk to Shivalay chowk, choosing a poorly lit spot on the right side of the road leading from the auditorium chowk to Shivalay chowk. After getting off the scooter, Shishir kicked Maiju in the head from behind. They immediately got on the scooter driven by Kushal and sped towards Shivalay chowk. Sirjana was rushed to Gandaki Medical College immediately after the attack, but doctors declared her dead at 8:18 pm.

The main accused in the murder, 27-year-old Shishir, is the nephew of the deceased Sirjana. The police arrested him from Butwal, while the scooter driver, 32-year-old Kushal Pariyar, was arrested from Lakeside. Shishir has told the police in his initial statement that he had planned to kill her from the beginning because Maiju had insulted and insulted him. The police have not believed his claim. Instead, the investigation is being conducted from the angle that the murder may have been committed at the instigation and planning of the incarcerated stepson Gaurav and other family members.

Kaski Police Chief, Superintendent of Police (SP) Naveen Karki, has said that the investigation is being conducted from both technical and human aspects, considering the sensitivity of the incident. ‘Initial investigation shows that this murder is purely focused on a family dispute and property dispute,’ he said, ‘The main people involved in the incident have been arrested and now we are delving deeper into the extent of its connection.’

They came to the scene wearing masks and helmets, even covering the number plate of the scooter, and Shishir was seen walking towards the scene with a sack wrapped in his hand and carrying a bag. ‘After the murder, he was seen reaching Parbat from Pokhara and then using public transport to Butwal,’ SP Karki said, ‘It could be a plan to go to India.’ He informed that the investigation so far has not confirmed that someone gave him ‘supari’ to kill Sirjana and that a detailed investigation is underway. He said, ‘Family members have helped him escape. We are investigating that.’

The most serious question now is the role of his stepson Gaurav, who is incarcerated in the Kaski District Jail on a drug charge. Sirjana’s brother Keshav Raj Poudel claims that the murder was planned from inside the prison and that the family was involved. He says that the death of his son-in-law Krishna is also suspicious. ‘My sister has been murdered.’ Now we are worried about the safety of our 4-year-old niece,' he said, 'Even if I become her guardian, I will file a case in the Supreme Court for her rights.' Krishna's elder children have been accusing their mother of committing suicide due to their father's relationship with Srijana.