Three Nepali Nationals Arrested Over Killing Nepali Vocational Student Woman in Fukuoka Amid Suspected Relationship Dispute
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Fukuoka Prefectural Police announced on September 8, 2026 that they had arrested three Nepali nationals on suspicion of murder: Tamang Sans, 28, a vocational school student residing in Yoshizuka, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City; Tamang Asmita, 25, unemployed and residing in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture; and Rama Praveen, 22, an international student also residing in Tosu City. According to FBS Fukuoka Broadcasting and other outlets, the three are accused of conspiring to kill Rajbanshi Laxmi, 25, a vocational school student, at her apartment in Kiyokawa, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City, between around 11:30 p.m. on August 18, 2026 and 12:15 a.m. the following day, by striking her head repeatedly with a pot, strangling her with a rope, and dropping her from the balcony into the river, drowning her.
Rajbanshi's body was found downstream in the Naka River. In the early hours of August 19, police received a 110 emergency call from an acquaintance saying Rajbanshi was not in her room; large amounts of blood and signs of a struggle were found there. It emerged that Sans had been living with the man Rajbanshi was dating, and police believe a dispute over the relationship lay behind the killing and are investigating the circumstances in detail.
Current status: Whether the three have admitted to the allegations, each suspect's specific role, and whether the case will be referred for prosecution remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.