Bettiah: Police on Monday arrested two persons in connection with a double murder — suspected to be an honour killing — reported last year in West Champaran, officials said on Tuesday.The accused — Ramu Mushar of Rampur Bagicha and Jitendra Nishad alias Jeetan Mukhiya, a resident of Mahadeva in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar — confessed to killing a minor girl and her partner and staging the crime as a suicide to avoid social disgrace.SP, Bagaha, Ramanand Kaushal, said the case dates back to Sept 14, 2025, when Madan Been, resident of Rampur Bagicha Tola, filed an FIR alleging that his minor daughter, Dulari Kumari, had been kidnapped. He had named eight people of the same village in the complaint, including Akhilesh Yadav. Subsequently, Akhilesh’s mother filed a counter-complaint in the court, accusing the girl’s family of abducting her son.Nearly four months later, on Jan 22 this year, villagers who had gone to a nearby Madanpur forest area to collect firewood found two bodies hanging from a tree. The deceased were later identified as the missing duo — Dulari Kumari and Akhilesh Yadav.During the investigation, police found that the two were in a relationship, which was opposed by the girl’s father, who allegedly feared social stigma. Police said Madan Been, along with his associate Ramu Mushar and other relatives, conspired to eliminate the couple.On Sept 8 last year, the girl was allegedly taken to the forest on the pretext of collecting leaves. Akhilesh was later called to the same location through a call made using Mushar’s mobile phone. Investigators said the accused forced Akhilesh to write a suicide note, which was later hidden beneath his mobile cover.The accused then allegedly killed the girl and strangled Akhilesh before hanging both bodies from a tree using ropes to make it appear as a case of suicide.The SP said the arrests were made on Monday, based on technical evidence gathered during the probe. Further raids are underway to nab other accused who are still absconding.
