The mysterious death of two sisters found hanging in Bhaktapur has revealed that they had been missing from India for nearly three weeks.
According to Bhaktapur District Police spokesperson DSP Dhundiraj Neupane, 16-year-old Menuka Kandel and 13-year-old Sirjana Kandel were found dead on the ground floor of Chakra Dhar Prajapati’s two-storey brick-and-metal house in Bode Sintitar, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-8.
Their bodies were discovered around 6:45 am Thursday, tied with nylon rope and hanging in the passage area of the rented room. The rope was tied to an iron bar, with both ends forming a noose around their necks.
Parents were informed only after the bodies were found
The bodies have not been moved yet. Police are waiting for the arrival of the victims’ parents before conducting a post-mortem. The bodies remain secured at the scene, according to DSP Neupane.
The girls’ parents, who are in India, are expected to arrive in Kathmandu from Delhi today.
Family suspects hotel labor abuse
The death appears suspicious. The parents of the girls have alleged that someone forced them to work at a hotel. Before receiving news of their death, the parents were actively searching for them and even appeared on an Indian online television channel.
In an interview with Sigas Online TV, parents Vasudev and Uma Kandel claimed that the hotel owner had made their daughters work in areas without CCTV coverage. The interview, which was published on 5 Shrawan (three days before their bodies were found), raises suspicions about forced labor.
Police say all angles are under investigation
Police say they have yet to verify whether the girls were actually employed at a hotel. “We haven’t been able to talk to the parents or confirm whether they were working at a hotel. Everything is still under investigation,” DSP Neupane told Onlinekhabar.
According to police sources, the girls had been staying at the rented home for about 15 days. They had reportedly told the house owner they were college students.
Authorities have secured the scene, and the investigation will proceed once the parents arrive and the post-mortem is completed.
