Four sentenced to life imprisonment in Baitadi truck driver murder case

Baitadi: The Baitadi District Court has sentenced four individuals involved in the murder of Birbhan Bista, a truck driver from Patan Municipality-6, Baitadi.

According to District Court Judge Bishnu Raj Panta, the deceased's daughter-in-law, teacher Bhagarathi Bista; 38-year-old Bharat Mohan Bista of Patan-6; 19-year-old Rajendra Bhattarai of Patan-1; and 26-year-old Ashish Pahari of Patan-6 have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the murder committed on Asad 1, 2081. They have each been sentenced to 25 years in prison, Shrestedar Pant told Dinesh Khabar.

Panta added that a juvenile under the age of 18 involved in the incident has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.

The murder occurred at Bhagarathi Bista's house on Asad 1, 2081, and the victim's body was dumped into the Ghangal River along the Patan-Pancheshwor road section two days later. The incident came to light when the body of driver Birbhan was discovered on Asad 3.

Following the detention hearing on Asad 23, 2081, all five accused were remanded to jail for trial. Shrestedar Pant said the verdict was delivered on Friday and that it will take some time to obtain the full text.