Gangtok, Sept. 5: A murder witness who committed suicide in a village near Daramdin, West Sikkim, last week was in fact one of the killers, police said.
The law enforcers have also ruled out any foul play in the suicide of Ruphang Subba, who was found hanging from a tree near his village on August 31, a day after he named three men as the murderers of his nephew Mahesh Subba in Daramdin on July 13.
“Ruphang was driven to suicide by his guilt and the knowledge that he, too, would be arrested soon,” said deputy inspector-general of police (range) Akshay Sachdeva.
The accused trio, Domahang Subba, Ram Bahadur Subba and Rajesh Subba, were picked up the day Ruphang disclosed their names. Domahang’s brother Monahang Subba had been arrested earlier.
It has now emerged that Monahang, Domahang, Ram Bahadur, Rajesh and Ruphang had ganged up and attacked Mahesh on July 13. The fatal stab with a khukuri, though, was delivered by Monahang.
The victim and his attackers were related to each other. On July 13, Mahesh had allegedly abused his would-be murderers, which prompted the attack.
“The three arrested last week were today sent to the Namchi jail in South Sikkim to be kept in judicial custody,” Sachdeva added. Monahang is already in jail custody.
Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad, a regional party, had claimed that Mahesh was its member and that he was a victim of political murder. “We did not find any political angle to the case,” said Sachdeva.
The law enforcers have also ruled out any foul play in the suicide of Ruphang Subba, who was found hanging from a tree near his village on August 31, a day after he named three men as the murderers of his nephew Mahesh Subba in Daramdin on July 13.
“Ruphang was driven to suicide by his guilt and the knowledge that he, too, would be arrested soon,” said deputy inspector-general of police (range) Akshay Sachdeva.
The accused trio, Domahang Subba, Ram Bahadur Subba and Rajesh Subba, were picked up the day Ruphang disclosed their names. Domahang’s brother Monahang Subba had been arrested earlier.
It has now emerged that Monahang, Domahang, Ram Bahadur, Rajesh and Ruphang had ganged up and attacked Mahesh on July 13. The fatal stab with a khukuri, though, was delivered by Monahang.
The victim and his attackers were related to each other. On July 13, Mahesh had allegedly abused his would-be murderers, which prompted the attack.
“The three arrested last week were today sent to the Namchi jail in South Sikkim to be kept in judicial custody,” Sachdeva added. Monahang is already in jail custody.
Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad, a regional party, had claimed that Mahesh was its member and that he was a victim of political murder. “We did not find any political angle to the case,” said Sachdeva.
