Three suspects detained after Nepalese student found dead in Fukuoka river

Fukuoka police announced the arrest of three suspects, one of whom was known to the victim, in connection with the killing of Laxmi Rajbanshi, a 25-year-old Nepalese student. Rajbanshi had arrived in Japan on a student visa in May 2023 and was enrolled in a vocational school. Forensic examination revealed extensive injuries to her head and face, including deep cuts that exposed bone, as well as wounds on her body and hands.

Evidence of a violent struggle, including bloodstains, was found in her bedroom, and her smartphone remains unaccounted for. The victim's body was spotted by a passerby in the Naka River in the Tenjin district at about 5:45 a.m. on August 19 and was declared dead at the scene. The arrests follow an investigative source’s statements linking the three individuals to the homicide.