Police Investigate Two Deaths as Biratnagar Kings Launch Fan App
Biratnagar was gripped by two sobering police investigations this week. The death of a local restaurant operator resulted in the arrest of a young woman who had managed the establishment's accounts, while a long-time battery shop owner was found dead under suspicious circumstances near the Keshaliya River with his body wrapped in a sack. In a more upbeat development for the city, the Biratnagar Kings Nepal Premier League franchise gave fans a new digital home with the launch of their official mobile application.
Woman Arrested in Pizzfire Owner's Death
Fifty-one-year-old Manoj Khatri, the operator of Pizzfire Restaurant in Biratnagar, was found dead hanging from a tree in the jungle of Dharapani, Kerabari Rural Municipality-9, Morang, on a Saturday afternoon. Khatri, a resident of Biratnagar Metropolitan City-3, had left home on his scooter at 1 PM the previous Friday and lost contact with his family soon after; his scooter had not yet been recovered as of the time of reporting. Following a written complaint filed by his family, Morang police arrested 27-year-old Indu, also known as Khilina Dahal, who had worked at Pizzfire for four to five years managing its financial transactions and accounts. Dahal, originally from Gauradaha in Jhapa district, was placed in custody on a court-granted five-day remand extension for the purpose of investigation. SP Kavit Katuwal, Chief of the District Police Office in Morang, said the inquiry is focusing on the nature of the personal relationship between Khatri and Dahal and on whether financial irregularities occurred at the restaurant. In her own statement, Dahal denied committing any financial misconduct and said she did not blackmail or pressure Khatri in any way, though she acknowledged managing all accounts. She noted that Khatri had been consuming excessive alcohol for approximately ten days before his disappearance. The post-mortem was conducted at BP Koirala Health Sciences Institute in Dharan after the return of Khatri's wife, who had been in India at the time. Police are conducting technical examinations of mobile phones and other digital devices to establish the full facts of the case. Khatri is survived by his wife, one son and one daughter. [2]
Businessman Found Dead Near Keshaliya River
A man who had run a business in Biratnagar for thirty years was found dead near the Keshaliya River in what police are treating as a suspicious death. Lalji Prasad Gupta, 65, was discovered near a bridge over the Keshaliya River connecting Biratnagar Metropolitan City-6 in Morang and Barju Rural Municipality in Sunsari. Gupta had operated Lal Battery Shop on Mahabir Road in Biratnagar-6 for three decades and was reportedly an Indian national. Residents in the area alerted police on a Sunday morning after finding his body wrapped inside a sack on the riverbank at Bhimpur, Barju Rural Municipality-2, in Sunsari district. DSP Chandra Khadka, spokesperson for the Sunsari District Police Office, confirmed that Gupta had operated his battery repair shop in Biratnagar-6 and said the circumstances of the death are being treated as suspicious. 'The body was found wrapped in a sack, making the incident suspicious. We are conducting a detailed investigation from various angles,' DSP Khadka said. Police deployed a technical team and a trained sniffer dog to collect evidence from the scene. No arrest had been announced in connection with this case at the time of reporting. The investigation remains active, and authorities are examining the case from multiple angles to establish what happened to the long-time Biratnagar resident and businessman. [3]
🤝 Biratnagar Kings Launch Official Fan Mobile App
The Biratnagar Kings, a franchise team in Nepal's Premier League, have launched the beta version of their official mobile application for Android users on the Google Play Store. The app offers fans a range of features designed to deepen their connection with the team throughout the NPL season. Through the 'Matchday Centre,' supporters can access upcoming fixtures, match results, key updates and match photographs, and receive notifications about matches, competitions and merchandise orders. The 'Fan Zone' section lets users send supportive messages, share photographs taken while watching games and view reactions from other supporters around the country, with the team expressing hope that the feature will bring fans from across Nepal together in a single digital community. The app also includes a 'Predict and Win' feature through which fans can forecast match outcomes and other key match events for a chance to win prizes, with additional competitions planned by the team. For those interested in fitness, the app incorporates cricket-themed mini-games and a 'Daily Step Challenge,' where users can earn reward points by completing 10,000 steps each day, advancing through four membership tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold and a higher level. The app's online store lets users purchase official Biratnagar Kings jerseys and other merchandise. An iOS version is expected to be released in the near future, expanding the app's reach beyond Android users. [7]
Sources: [2] Ratopati · [3] OnlineKhabar English News · [7] OnlineKhabar English News