Nepal: 9 members of two families murdered in Panchthar District

Nine members of two families were killed in a gruesome homicide by a group of masked men in Eastern Nepal's Panchthar District on Monday night.

The incident was reported to the police on Tuesday morning after the locals found mutilated bodies near the murder spot. A 12-year old girl, identified as Sita Khajum survived the fatal attack but sustained severe injuries. She is undergoing treatment in Damak Municipality of Jhapa district, police said.

Murari Wasti, the Chief district officer (CDO) of Panchthar, told ANI that the masked men used sharp knives to kill the families of Dhanraj Sherma and his father-in-law Bam Bahadur Phiya.

District Police Office inspector Anil Paudel informed that the bodies of five members of Sherma family were found inside their house, while bodies of the four members of the Phiyak family were recovered from outside.

The deceased have been identified as Dhanraj Sherma (41), Jasmita Phiyak (36), Man Kumari Phiyak (26), Iksha Sherma (6), Yobana Sherma (13), Muna Sherma (8), Bam Bahadur (74) and his wife, and Aashika Khajum Limbu (12).

The investigation into the matter is underway.