Woman employee’s body found hanging in Uttarakhand homestay

PTI, Dec 3, 2023, 3:59 PM IST

The body of a woman was found hanging from the ceiling of a room at a homestay in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, police said on Sunday.

According to preliminary investigation, it is a case of suicide, they said.

The woman’s family, however, claimed she was murdered and her body was later hanged from the ceiling to make it look like a suicide.

The 18-year-old woman worked at the resort in Kafalaun village and her body was found on December 1, police said.

Police said that according to preliminary investigation, it appears to be a case of suicide.

The woman’s family members created a ruckus at the Uttarkashi district hospital on Saturday, alleging that she was killed by the resort owner and his cook. Her body was found hanging from the ceiling with her feet touching the floor, they claimed.

Initially, her family refused to accept the body for last rites, accusing police of trying to protect the killers.

They accepted the body after Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi assured them that the case would be solved within five days.

The woman’s last rites were held on the banks of the Bhagirathi river on Sunday.

On the basis of a complaint lodged by the woman’s father, a case has been registered against the homestay owner and his cook under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. They have been arrested and an investigation is underway, Senior Sub-Inspector (SSI) Rajesh Kumar said.

Another man, who called the woman on the night she died, has also been taken into custody for interrogation, police said.

Kumar said the autopsy report does not show any foul play but on the demand of villagers, the woman’s viscera and vaginal swab have been sent for a forensic examination.

All evidence has been collected and the accused are being interrogated. The case will be solved within five days, Yaduvanshi said.