Missing Kheri student found dead in Lucknow hotel; suicide suspected

Lucknow: A 22-year-old woman from Lakhimpur Kheri, who was missing for the past three days, was found dead in a hotel room near Charbagh on Thursday, police said.

Police suspect the woman, a second-year MA Sanskrit student, died by suicide following a failed love affair.

According to police, her body was found inside Room No. 23 of a hotel under the Naka Hindola police station limits.

Hotel staff informed the police after she did not step out of the room for a long time. A police team reached the spot, broke the door open and found her dead.

Police said the woman was reported missing from Lakhimpur Kheri on May 25. An FIR was already registered at Sadar Kotwali police station in Kheri by her family.

According to her brother, she left the house without informing anyone on May 25. A CCTV footage showed her leaving the house alone.

The family said she had left home without money and a mobile phone. However, police found a mobile, cash and three to four pairs of new clothes near her body.

Her kin said she had saved Rs 35,000 to buy a scooter and the money was still lying at home.

Sources said police suspect the woman may have been in a relationship, and preliminary findings indicate a possible suicide linked to a failed love affair.

SHO Kotwali, Kheri, Rajesh Singh, said multiple teams have been formed to locate her alleged boyfriend and examine his role.

Investigators are also scanning CCTV footage from the hotel and nearby areas, along with call detail records and digital evidence recovered from the mobile phone.

Inspector Naka Hindola Abhinav Verma said statements of family members, hotel staff and other persons connected to the case are being recorded.

Her kin reached the Lucknow postmortem house and demanded a thorough investigation.