A 17-year-old girl was allegedly murdered and beheaded in a forested area of Rajgarh district in Madhya Pradesh on September 30, with police later recovering her remains after tracing her movements and examining call records. The young man suspected of killing her died in a road accident shortly after the alleged crime while attempting to leave the area, police said.
The girl had been reported missing on September 30 after leaving her home in Karedi to meet the accused, identified as Ankit Malviya. Her body was eventually recovered from a forested area near Biaora on Tuesday, several days after she disappeared. Police said her remains were in an advanced stage of decomposition, with her skull found approximately 50 feet away from the rest of the body.
According to investigators, the girl lived with her maternal uncle in Karedi village and had been in contact with Malviya for around two years. Police said the two were in a relationship and that Malviya had asked her to meet him on September 30.
The girl travelled by bus from Karedi to Rajgarh, where she met Malviya. The two then reportedly travelled towards Biaora on his motorcycle. CCTV footage examined during the investigation helped police trace their movements and establish that the girl had travelled with Malviya towards the area where her body was later found.
What happened in the forest
Police suspect that the two entered a forested area where an argument took place. Investigators allege that Malviya subsequently attacked the girl with a saw and killed her.
After the alleged murder, Malviya is believed to have contacted his cousin and told him about what had happened. Police said the accused made several calls around the time of the incident, which later became an important part of the investigation.
Rajgarh superintendent of police Amit Tolani said the investigation had established that the two were in a relationship and that the girl had been murdered. However, the precise circumstances and motive behind the killing were still being investigated.
Police also found a rope hanging from a tree near the location where the girl’s remains were recovered. Investigators are examining whether the rope was connected to an alleged attempt by Malviya to take his own life before he left the forest.
Suspect dies in road accident
After allegedly leaving the forest on his motorcycle, Malviya collided with a truck and died at the scene, police said. His death meant that investigators could not directly question him about the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death.
Police subsequently examined his call records and found that he had spoken to his cousin several times around the suspected time of the murder. Investigators questioned the cousin, who allegedly provided information about the conversation he had with Malviya.
Based on that information, police searched the forested area and located the girl’s remains. A saw was also recovered from near the body and has been taken as part of the investigation.
The girl’s remains were sent for examination as police continued efforts to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to her death.
Investigation continues
Police have so far established that the girl had travelled to meet Malviya and that the two subsequently went towards the forested area. Investigators believe Malviya was responsible for the murder, but the exact motive remains unclear.
Authorities are examining the available evidence, including CCTV footage, call records, witness statements and material recovered from the forest. Police are also looking into the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s reported attempt to take his own life and his subsequent death in the road accident.
The case remains under investigation, with officials expected to establish the complete sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the girl’s death.
