KATHMANDU: The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Roshni Shahi, who was found lifeless in her locked room in Bhaktapur. Initial findings suggest she may have died by suicide, possibly due to an overdose of medication.

DSP Nawaraj Dhungana of the Thimi Police Circle stated that her body has been sent to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for a postmortem examination. “The exact cause of death will be confirmed after the autopsy, but preliminary evidence points towards suicide,” he said. No signs of foul play or external injuries were detected at the scene.

Shahi’s husband, Chitrajung Shahi, revealed that she had been battling mental health issues for years, a struggle that intensified following her publicized legal case against former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara. According to him, she had attempted suicide multiple times in the past by overdosing on medication.

A two-page suicide note addressed to her son, who resides in the United States, was discovered in her room. In the note, she expressed regret over her inability to secure his future, writing, “To live happily, this is how I became.”

Authorities are treating the case with sensitivity, acknowledging the mental health challenges she faced and the societal pressures she endured. The police emphasized that while the initial evidence suggests suicide, further investigation is underway to rule out any other possibilities.

Roshni Shahi’s death serves as a stark reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and the need for support systems for individuals facing personal and public trauma. Roshni Shahi, a health worker who previously filed a high-profile rape case against former Speaker of the House of Representatives Krishna Bahadur Mahara, was found dead in a locked room in Bhaktapur on Sunday.

Shahi had been residing at Laxmishwari Mahato’s house in Suryabinayak-2, Bhaktapur, for the past 30 months. She was reportedly active on Saturday but did not appear the following morning. When the locked door to her room remained unopened by midday, residents looked through a window and discovered her unresponsive. The police were subsequently informed and are investigating the incident.

Shahi gained public attention in 2019 when she accused then Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara of attempted rape. The allegations stemmed from an incident on September 29, 2019, and led to Mahara’s arrest on October 6, 2019.
A charge sheet was filed against Mahara on October 31, 2019, with police seeking a sentence of five to seven-and-a-half years in prison.

The case marked a significant moment in Nepali politics, as Mahara became the first high-profile politician to stand trial for attempted rape. Following the allegations, Mahara resigned as Speaker of the House but retained his position as a Member of Parliament. The Kathmandu District Court ordered his judicial custody on November 4, 2019, sending him to Dillibazar prison.

However, Mahara contested the decision, appealing to the Patan High Court on November 21, 2019. The Patan High Court upheld the district court’s remand order on December 19, 2019, urging a swift resolution to the case.

Despite the urgency, the final verdict was delayed, and in February 2020, the Kathmandu District Court acquitted Mahara of all charges. Judge Ambar Raj Poudel cited insufficient evidence in clearing Mahara of attempted rape allegations.