Woman's remains found in UP; father, three others arrested

BULANDSHAHR: The local villagers found a skull, some bones and fragments of jewellery in a remote forested area of Narsena village under the Khanpur police station of Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr.

Police collected the remains for forensic examination and police records matched the skeletal remains with that of Kajal, 22, daughter of Jairam Lodhi, who had been missing for three months.

Initial investigation pointed to strained relations between Kajal and her father and police detained him.

During interrogation, he "admitted" to the crime.

Jairam and three men -- Jai Kishan, Ravindra Singh and Daulat -- all from Jadol village in Khanpur area of Bulandshahr, have been arrested.

Circle officer (CO) of Syana, Bhaskar Kumar, said that Jairam said he had grown increasingly frustrated with his daughter's actions as she frequently left home without notice. He believed she was tarnishing the family's reputation.

He had wanted Kajal to marry a man of his choosing which she refused.

Jairam and the other accused abducted Kajal in June, took her to the Narsena forests, and strangled her. "Over three months, wildlife and natural forces reduced her remains to the skull and a few bones," the official said.

A case under IPC sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 201 (disappearance of evidence) was registered against the four accused. “They have been sent to jail on Tuesday,” said the CO.