BARA: Police have arrested another teenager in connection with the rape and murder of three-year-old Garima Chaudhary of Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City-1, taking the total number of people detained in the case to eight.

According to police, a 14-year-old ninth-grade student from Jitpur Simara-2 was arrested on Sunday evening. He has been taken into custody at the District Police Office, Bara, for further investigation.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Dayakrishna Bhatt of the Simara Area Police Office said the teenager was arrested based on information provided by 16-year-old Suman Thapa, who was previously arrested in connection with the case.

Police said they are investigating the role of each person in the incident. Statements from those arrested, evidence collected from the scene and other findings are being examined to establish what happened.

Police had earlier arrested 16-year-old Suman Thapa of Jitpur Simara-2 and 24-year-old Progress Chaudhary of Jitpur Simara-1 following the recovery of Garima’s body. The investigation was subsequently expanded after information suggested the involvement of additional individuals.

Police have not released the identities of the other people arrested, citing concerns that doing so could affect the investigation. They said the exact role and nature of involvement of some of those detained will become clear only after further investigation.

The rape and murder of three-year-old Garima sparked widespread outrage in Bara and across the country. Local residents, family members and various organisations staged protests demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.

Following the protests and demands for an impartial investigation and stringent legal action, the government and the victim’s family reached an agreement. The family received Garima’s body and performed her last rites on Sunday.

Although Garima has been cremated, the investigation into the case is continuing. Police said they are working to identify the roles of all those involved and will initiate further legal proceedings based on additional facts and evidence uncovered during the investigation.