Eleven days after a 19-year-old BSc first-year student from Sitapur went missing while on her way to college in her home district, police on Saturday recovered her skeletal remains from a forested area on the outskirts of Lucknow and arrested her supposed boyfriend for allegedly murdering her.
The victim, a resident of Sandana town in Sitapur district, had left home on May 25 for her college in Kuchlai village but never returned. Following her disappearance, her family launched a frantic search before approaching the police. She was killed on May 25, the day of her abduction. She was stabbed with a knife, which was found on the spot.
According to police, the probe led them to Vishal Pal, 21, a resident of Saraiya village in Sitapur, who was her classmate. Preliminary investigation suggests the accused was in a relationship with the victim and she had become pregnant, according to an official police statement. They knew each other for two years.
During questioning, the accused allegedly disclosed the location where he had disposed of the body, leading police to a forest area near Devarai Kala village under the BKT police station limits in Lucknow.
“A search of the area resulted in the recovery of a skull, bones, hair, a slipper and clothes believed to belong to the missing student. Family members present at the site identified the clothes and personal belongings as hers,” read a Lucknow police statement.
Police suspect Vishal killed her and dumped the body in a forest along Lucknow’s Ring Road in an attempt to conceal the crime.
By the time the remains were recovered, the body had decomposed completely and was found in skeletal form, officials said.
“A forensic team was called to collect scientific evidence from the spot. The remains have been sent for postmortem examination, while DNA profiling and other forensic tests will be conducted to conclusively establish identity and aid the investigation,” said Vikas Pandey, ACP, Bakshi Ka Talab.
The teen’s father said that he had named Vishal Pal and his sister Shivani Pal in his complaint to the police, accusing them of abducting his daughter. According to him, the family suspected Vishal, a fellow student of his daughter, soon after she went missing. Shivani Pal was Mansi’s friend.
He said that after she failed to return home on May 25, family members searched for her extensively and even visited her college but could not find any clue about her whereabouts. He alleged that despite approaching the police the same day, no immediate action was taken.
The FIR was eventually registered at Sandana police station on May 28. In the complaint, the father alleged that Vishal had lured his daughter away and that his sister Shivani had assisted him. He also informed police that her mobile phone had remained switched off since her disappearance.
The family further alleged that police failed to register a timely named FIR despite repeatedly informing officers about their suspicions. “Had timely action been taken, my daughter could have been saved,” the father told reporters.
The father and villagers staged a protest against the police, alleging inaction in the case. According to the family, they repeatedly met senior police officials, including the circle officer and superintendent of police, seeking stronger action.
He claimed that only after the protest began on June 2 did the police intensify efforts to trace his daughter. He said officials had assured him that she would be found within a few days, prompting him to withdraw from the sit-in, although some villagers continued the protest.
After the recovery of the remains, he expressed anguish over the outcome of the search.
He said Sitapur police brought him to Lucknow on Friday, telling him that his daughter had been found. Instead, he was taken to the forest site where clothes caught in bushes, a slipper, hair and skeletal remains were recovered.
“They had assured me my daughter would be found alive. Not only was she not found alive, we did not even get her body,” he said, demanding the arrest of all those involved in the crime and action against police personnel he alleged were negligent in handling the case.
The ACP said further legal proceedings are underway and that all aspects of the case, including the role of any other persons, are being investigated.
Sitapur additional superintendent of police Durgesh Singh said Pal was arrested in connection with the case and during interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime, according to a PTI report.
The officer said that on Saturday, while a Sandana police team was taking the accused to recover evidence linked to the crime, he sought permission to attend nature’s call and allegedly attempted to escape by snatching a pistol and firing at the police team.
Police retaliated and the accused sustained a bullet injury in his leg, Singh said. He was later admitted to a hospital.
