Seven bodies recovered in Bhatbhateni difficult to identify

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Sept.18: The bodies found charred after protesters set fire to Bhatbhateni in Chuchepati, Kathmandu, during the GenZ movement are yet to be ascertained.

Seven bodies found as skeletons and bones during clean-up operations after a fire broke out in Bhatbhateni are yet to be identified. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Shekhar Khanal, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari, said that the bodies could not be identified.

He said, "The skeletons and bones of the seven bodies have been recovered. The postmortems of other bodies recovered have been sent to families. Seven charred bodies are in an unrecognizable state. No family has come into contact so far. We can only identify them after family members come in contact and conduct DNA tests."

"We have done DNA profiling. If the family members believe it is theirs, they can make a 'match' and then the body can be handed over," He said. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Khanal said that if the family members of the deceased come into contact, it will not take long to conduct a DNA test and hand over the body.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of District Police Range, Kathmandu, Bishwa Adhikari said that one person found in Bhatbhateni, Koteshwor, Kathmandu on Wednesday has been identified.

"The skeleton of Bikash Rasaili of Khandadevi-6, Ramechhap district, was recovered. His temporary address is in Chyasal, Lalitpur. It has been sent to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital(TUTH) for postmortem. Only then will the body be handed over to the family," he said, adding that Rasaili's body was found only on Wednesday. 

According to police, a total of 74 people have died in the Gen Z movement.