E-rickshaw driver arrested in Rautahat suitcase murder case

Police have taken an e-rickshaw driver into custody in connection with the murder of 26-year-old Rubi Kumari Sah from Madhav Narayan Municipality-2, Rautahat.

According to the District Police Office, the arrested driver is Laxman Mahara from Gaur Bazaar. Investigators said the killer rented Mahara’s e-rickshaw for 500 rupees to carry a suitcase containing Rubi’s body. The plan was to transport the suitcase up to Gangapipra village.

However, when the rickshaw had a wheel problem near Mudwal Gate, the killer returned the vehicle and left the suitcase on the roadside before fleeing. Mahara told police he did not know what was inside the suitcase.

Police believe Rubi was murdered inside a rented room on Saturday night.

Rubi had called her mother around 6 pm on Saturday, saying she needed to buy some items from Gaur Bazaar. She did not return home that night. Later, around 10 pm, locals noticed an abandoned suitcase on the roadside at Mudwal Gate, Gaur-9, and informed police.

Police did not open the suitcase immediately, but during a search on Sunday morning, Rubi’s body was found inside.