‘Your daughter, you search for her’: How a family’s search for missing woman ended in a brutal murder in Bihar

A 26-year-old woman who was reported missing by her father was allegedly murdered and dismembered in Bihar’s Banka district, with police recovering her severed head and later her torso during the investigation. Her husband, mother-in-law and a juvenile relative have been taken into custody, and police are searching for the remaining accused.

The father of Priyanka Kumari, who got married in 2021 and had three daughters, has alleged that she was repeatedly harassed by her in-laws for not giving birth to a son.

Belhar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ravindra Mohan Prasad said police received information on June 28 that Priyanka, wife of Vivek Pandit and a resident of Ranga village under Jalebiya Mod police station limits, had been missing since the evening of June 27.

“Her in-laws claimed that she had gone to her parental home, but she never reached there,” the SDPO said.

Based on a complaint filed by Priyanka’s father, Sukhdev Pandit, on Sunday morning, Jalebiya Mod police registered an FIR under sections 137(2), 140(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

In his complaint, Sukhdev alleged that Priyanka had been subjected to repeated harassment by her husband, mother-in-law Madhumala Devi, father-in-law Pradeep Pandit and sister-in-law Rinku.

‘Your daughter, you search for her’

According to the complaint, Priyanka and her husband had been invited to attend the tilak ceremony of her younger sister on June 27, but did not turn up. Repeated phone calls went unanswered. When family members visited her matrimonial home the next morning, they found everyone except Priyanka.

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The complaint alleged that when the family enquired about her whereabouts, the in-laws abused them and said, “She is your daughter, you search for her.” Suspecting that his daughter had been killed and her body concealed, Sukhdev sought legal action against those responsible.

Head buried, torso found in toilet tank

Later that day, police were informed that a woman’s severed head had been found buried in Dumarhar.

After legal identification procedures, the remains were confirmed to be those of Priyanka. Police constituted a special investigation team led by Katoria Circle Inspector Ranjit Kumar under the supervision of the SDPO. The team, assisted by the Forensic Science Laboratory, a dog squad and Banka police’s technical branch, launched an investigation.

The probe led to the arrest of Priyanka’s husband, mother-in-law, and a juvenile relative.

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Based on information provided by the arrested accused, police recovered Priyanka’s torso from the toilet tank of a dilapidated irrigation department premises near Ranga village. The sharp-edged weapon allegedly used in the crime was also recovered.

“The torso had been kept inside a sack and concealed in the tank, which was covered with bushes,” an officer said. Police alleged that the accused dismembered Priyanka’s body after the murder and concealed the parts at different locations. Her hands and legs are yet to be recovered.

The victim’s family has also alleged that an argument over Priyanka attending her younger sister’s wedding functions preceded the killing.

Her brother, Mantu Pandit, said Priyanka and her husband had been invited for the tilak ceremony on June 27 ahead of his younger sister’s wedding, scheduled for July 1.

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“When they did not arrive and repeated phone calls went unanswered, family members went to her matrimonial home the next morning. They were told she had left for our house the previous afternoon,” he said.

Police said the investigation is continuing. “Searches are on to arrest the remaining accused, including the victim’s father-in-law,” the Circle Inspector said.