Police fail to trace ‘kidnapped’ woman

BHAGALPUR: Although 19 persons have been convicted for the murder of her husband Himanshu on June 5, 2017, but police have failed to trace Soni, who was allegedly kidnapped by a group of women led by her mother the same day. Police suspect it to be a case of honour killing. Soni and Himanshu had got married on April 20, 2017 and eloped against the wishes of her family members.
All the accused in Himanshu murder case are resident of Gaurachaki under the Kajraili police station area in Bhagalpur district. The court of ADJ (V) Dipankar Pandey awarded life-term to them on Thursday.
Kajraili police station SHO Kaushal Bharti told this newspaper on Friday that investigation in Soni’s kidnapping case was complete. “We will submit the chargesheet in the court shortly. Our team has, however, not been able to find her whereabouts of Soni,” the SHO said, adding that it is widely apprehended that Soni was also killed.
Avinash Kumar, the brother of Himanshu, had lodged a separate FIR and accused her mother and other family members of kidnapping Soni after killing her husband. Himanshu was a teacher of Soni, the daughter of Parmanand Yadav, who had also lodged a kidnapping case at Kajraili police station. The couple had returned to Soni’s village in May 2017 after she got pregnant. On June 5, 2017, a village panchayat was called to discuss the issue and a large number of villagers gathered and allegedly beat Himanshu to death.
Soni’s father Parmanand Yadav, Pratap Yadav, Pakko Yadav, Raja Yadav, Ashok Yadav, Barun Yadav, Prakash Yadav, Ganesh Yadav, Arun Yadav, Khusho Yadav, Suman Yadav, Puso Yadav, Sunil Yadav, Sitaram Yadav, Pankaj Yadav, Mrityunjay Yadav, Gokul Yadav, Ajab Lal Yadav, and Ganesh Yadav were made accused in Himanshu murder case.