Suicide turns out to be a case of murder

Hrishita Deo
Kumaripati, Lalitpur
05:29pm, 27 Jan, 2011

A cop’s death on Saturday, which initially looked like a suicide, now, with new findings, investigating officials say has slightly tilted towards what they call ‘a case of murder’.

DSP Kanchan Thapa was found dead in Basundhara with a wound in his right temple. The police had recovered a Germany-made revolver loaded with nine rounds of bullets.

An investigating official today said it didn’t look like a wound caused by the revolver. “A revolver bullet hole though is small at the entry point, it leaves a sizable opening at the exit point due to the spin while passing through the body parts,” said the official. “Had the revolver been used, there would have been a cone-shaped wound.”

What is more baffling is no bullet shell was found. “It seems a homemade gun was used, as a bullet fired from a homemade gun travels straight,” added the official, arguing that one bullet ‘might have been fired randomly or removed from Thapa’s revolver to give the incident a colour of suicide’.

The police have also found a handkerchief pressed under the revolver, which the official said, was used to avoid fingerprints. “DSP Thapa would not do so if he shot himself.”

The police have arrested seven persons, including Khop Kumari Adhikari also known as Shweta (25) of Rasuwa and Phurba Lama (37) of Sindhupalchowk, for questioning. The third floor of the house, where the police officer was found dead, was rented by Shweta. Thapa was living together with her for the last 15 months.

“We have found that Shweta and three others owed Thapa Rs 5 million. They might have plotted the murder to skirt payment,” said the official.

Though Shweta argued that she was married to DSP Thapa, she failed to produce ample evidences to corroborate the claim. “She looks pretty normal; it does not even look like the DSP’s death has grieved her,” added the official.