A 17-year-old national-level kabaddi player who had been missing for more than six weeks was found dead in a drain in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Monday. Police said she was allegedly murdered by a fast-food vendor over an unpaid debt of approximately ₹3,600.
The victim, Anushka Pal, had been missing since April 16. Her remains were recovered after the arrest and confession of the accused, Shyam Dhanak, 42.
Promising Athlete Had Aspirations to Join the Army
Anushka, a resident of Chirodi village in the Daurala area of Meerut district, was a Class 12 student and an accomplished kabaddi player who had represented her state in national-level competitions.
According to her younger brother, Anmol Pal, the money in question had been borrowed to fill out an Agniveer recruitment application form, as Anushka aspired to join the Indian Army.
“She had borrowed money from the vendor to fill the Agniveer form,” Anmol said, adding that the family repeatedly approached police after her disappearance but felt the case was not initially taken seriously.
Investigation Leads to Arrest
Police said Anushka had moved to Meerut around two years ago to pursue professional kabaddi training. She lived in rented accommodation in the Shobhapur area with her younger brother.
Investigators found that she was a regular customer at Dhanak’s fast-food stall near her residence and had accumulated unpaid dues amounting to ₹3,600.
After analysing her call records, police identified Dhanak as the last person she had spoken to before she vanished.
Alleged Murder Following Argument
According to Superintendent of Police Vinayak Gopal Bhosale, the accused had repeatedly demanded repayment of the money.
On the night of April 15, Dhanak allegedly called Anushka near his shop and again asked for the debt to be cleared. Police said a heated argument followed, during which he allegedly struck her repeatedly on the head with a brick.
Investigators allege that after killing her, Dhanak placed the body in a sack and dumped it in a nearby drain before fleeing to Chandigarh.
Remains Recovered After Confession
Police traced Dhanak to Chandigarh and brought him into custody. Officials said he initially denied any involvement but later confessed during interrogation on May 31.
Acting on information provided by the accused, investigators recovered Anushka’s remains from a drain in the Kankerkhera area of Meerut.
An FIR has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to murder and destruction of evidence. The remains have been sent for post-mortem examination.
Family Mourns Lost Sporting Talent
Anushka was regarded as one of the region’s promising young kabaddi players. She had represented her state in competitions including the Sansad Khel Pratiyogita and Shanta Khel Mahotsav.
Her father, Nempal, said she had recently won tournaments in Meerut and Ghaziabad and dreamed of representing India at the international level.
“Seeing her dedication towards the sport, we always believed she would represent India on the global stage one day. We never thought her life would end this way,” he said.
Questions Over Missing Person Investigation
The case has also raised questions about the handling of missing person complaints. According to the family, they repeatedly sought police assistance after Anushka disappeared, but significant progress was made only after investigators examined her call records and identified the last person she had contacted.
The investigation remains ongoing.
