Shimla, February 23 Two Nepalese youths have been arrested for allegedly murdering a fellow Nepalese and disfiguring his face following a scuffle in the Chirgaon area of Shimla district, police said here on Monday.
The accused have been identified as Lalit Rana, also known as Laxman Rana (20), and Shahbir Luvar (21), both residents of Jajarkot district in Nepal's Karnali Province. They had come to Shimla district to work as laborers in apple orchards and were hiding in Kullu after committing the crime on February 17, they said.
Addressing a press conference, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Shimla, Gaurav Singh, said that on February 18, police received information that an unidentified body had been found near the Pabbar river in Chirgaon, after which they visited the spot and initiated the investigation.
"During the investigation, the deceased was identified as Rakesh Pratap, also known as Seti Ram, from Nepal, who was working as a laborer in the area," he said.
"The police found that he was assaulted with stones and a sharp weapon, which led to his death. The police then examined CCTV footage of adjoining areas and found that the deceased was in the company of the two suspects a day before," the SSP said.
He said that the police immediately started efforts to identify the accused, and further investigation revealed that the duo had visited Rakesh on February 17, after which they drank alcohol.
"Later that evening, they took him near the river, where they brutally assaulted him following a minor scuffle. They also disfigured his face and destroyed his mobile before fleeing from the spot. They had also switched off their phones to avoid arrest. As the investigation proceeded, their locations were found to be Kasol in the Kullu district," he said.
"Police teams were sent to the locations where they raided their hideout and arrested them," he added.
The SSP said that further investigation is underway.
He also appealed to the public to ensure proper registration of tenants and migrant laborers at the nearest police station before employing them or renting out accommodation to help prevent such incidents in the future.
