Bokaro, September 14: A 42-year-old woman who went missing from Bokaro on September 4 was found dead nine days later, with police arresting a 52-year-old mason in connection with the case, officials said on Monday.The accused, identified as Mustakeem Ansari, was detained after investigators examined CCTV footage and other technical evidence gathered during the search for the missing woman.
According to police, the woman and Ansari had known each other for some time and were working as daily-wage labourers. Investigators suspect that the two had developed a close relationship.Police said the woman left home on September 4, telling her family that she was going to work. When she did not return, her family approached the police and a missing-person case was initiated.
During the investigation, CCTV footage reportedly showed the woman with Ansari on the day she disappeared. Police subsequently questioned him about her whereabouts.
Investigators allege that Ansari took the woman to an isolated forested location, where he strangled her and abandoned her body. Police further claimed that he returned to the same area on September 7 and buried the body in a pit.
After being questioned, Ansari allegedly disclosed the location of the burial site, following which a police team recovered the remains.
The recovery was carried out in the presence of a magistrate, forensic personnel and police officers. By then, the body had reportedly decomposed significantly and had also been damaged by animals, according to investigators.
The woman’s son subsequently identified the remains, police said.Senior police officer Rajiv Ranjan said the woman was allegedly killed on September 4 and that the accused buried the body three days later.
Police are continuing to investigate the alleged motive and the circumstances surrounding the death. Investigators are also examining whether anyone else was involved in the crime.
The incident has also drawn attention to the handling of missing-person cases in the district, with the report referring to an earlier case involving a woman named Pushpa that required a prolonged investigation and the involvement of a special CID team.
Police said further action in the latest case would follow on the basis of the ongoing investigation and forensic findings.
The allegations against the accused are subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
