Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A human head wrapped in polythene, allegedly being torn apart by stray dogs, was recovered from a canal in Bihar’s Banka district on Sunday, adding another chilling twist to a case in which human remains have been turning up for five consecutive days. Police suspect the remains could belong to a 16-year-old girl who has been missing, while her mother has been arrested in connection with the suspected murder.
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The head was found near Kantiya village in the western main canal of the Badua reservoir under Belhar police station. Local residents spotted three to four dogs tearing at a polythene-wrapped object near the canal on Sunday evening. On approaching it, they realised it resembled a human skull and alerted the police.
A police team reached the spot and recovered the remains. An FSL team collected samples from the site and the head, which was subsequently sent to Banka for post-mortem examination.
The recovery has added to a disturbing trail of human remains discovered in the canal since October 28. Police have so far recovered seven body parts, a human hand and the head. The remains are suspected to belong to a 16-year-old daughter of Santosh Singh, a resident of Baghonia village. However, her identity has not been officially established, and DNA testing is awaited.
HOW THE HUMAN REMAINS WERE DISCOVERED
The case came to light on October 28, when villagers fishing near Chhagarachara village spotted several human body parts in the canal. The water level had dropped after the main gate of the Badua reservoir was closed, exposing the remains.
One of the recovered body parts reportedly had an intravenous (IV) cannula attached to it, raising questions about whether the deceased had recently received medical treatment.
On October 29, police brought in a dog squad to search for more remains. A sniffer dog led the team to a well near the canal, around 200 metres from the initial recovery site, where a human hand was found.
TEEN’S MOTHER ARRESTED, FATHER ON THE RUN
The investigation took a significant turn after village watchman Chaudhary Paswan reportedly shared information with police alleging that Santosh Singh, his wife Sunita Devi, cousin Vijay Singh and others had murdered the teenager and dismembered her body to destroy evidence.
Acting on the information, police registered a second FIR on October 29 and arrested Sunita Devi. She was subsequently sent to Banka jail in judicial custody. Santosh Singh’s tractor driver was also detained for questioning but later released.
Police are now conducting raids to arrest Santosh Singh and Vijay Singh.
PHONE CALLS, FAMILY DISPUTE UNDER INVESTIGATION
Local residents have claimed that the teenager used to speak to an unidentified young man over the phone. Her family allegedly objected to the communication and pressured her to stop talking to him.
There are also unverified claims that the teenager consumed an intoxicating substance following a dispute and was taken by her family for medical treatment. She allegedly died during this period, following which her body may have been cut into pieces and dumped at different locations to conceal the death.
However, police have not officially confirmed this sequence of events. The exact circumstances and cause of death remain unclear.
Belhar police station in-charge Vijayendra Kumar said one accused had been arrested and raids were underway to apprehend the other suspects.
Belhar SDPO Ravindra Mohan Prasad said the recovered head was decomposed and DNA testing would establish whether it belonged to the same person whose other body parts were found in the canal. Police are continuing the search for the remaining remains with the help of forensic experts, the dog squad and the technical cell.
The identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the suspected murder are expected to become clearer once the DNA and post-mortem reports are available.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
