Medininagar, Oct 21: The body of a 30-year-old woman who was reported missing after visiting a Durga Puja pandal was recovered from a paddy field on Wednesday in Jharkhand’s Palamu district, police said. The woman, identified as Geeta Devi, had reportedly been abducted on Tuesday, an officer said.
Initial report and recovery
Nawabazar police station officer-in-charge Sanjay Kumar Yadav said the woman left home on Tuesday night to visit a pandal and did not return. Her husband alleged she had been taken away in a car, prompting a missing-person report and a police search.
“She had left home on Tuesday night to visit a Durga Puja pandal and subsequently went missing. Her husband had expressed suspicion of abduction, alleging that she was taken away in a car,”
The body was located the following day in a paddy field and has been sent to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem examination, Yadav said. The officer added that the autopsy report would determine whether sexual assault had occurred.
Public response and police action
Following recovery of the body, villagers blocked a stretch of National Highway-39 for several hours in protest. Police later intervened and pacified the demonstrators, Yadav said. An investigation has been opened and the police are examining the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death.
Officials did not specify whether any arrests had been made as of the latest update. The officer said normal investigative procedures were underway, including forensic examination and questioning of potential witnesses.
Who the victim was
Yadav confirmed the deceased worked as a community health worker. According to the officer, she had left her mobile phone at home before going to the pandal, a detail investigators are treating as relevant to the timeline and movements on the night she disappeared.
| Event | Date/Time |
|---|---|
| Woman leaves home for Durga Puja pandal | Tuesday night |
| Reported missing / husband alleges abduction | Tuesday night / Wednesday morning |
| Body recovered from paddy field | Wednesday |
| Body sent for post-mortem | Wednesday |
Investigation steps under way
- Post-mortem at Medinirai Medical College and Hospital to establish cause of death and check for sexual assault.
- Questioning of family members, neighbours and others who may have seen the victim on Tuesday night.
- Search for vehicle(s) and witnesses near the Durga Puja pandal and along routes to the paddy field.
- Collection of forensic evidence from the recovery site and any vehicles or property linked to the case.
Police noted that the husband’s allegation of abduction — specifically that she was taken in a car — is part of the ongoing inquiry and will be corroborated or refuted as investigators collect evidence and statements.
Context and implications
The discovery has heightened local anxiety, particularly because the woman was employed as a community health worker, a role that brings regular contact with residents. Highway protests after such incidents are not uncommon in the region and often reflect public demands for prompt action and visible police response.
Authorities have not yet released details about any suspects or motive. The post-mortem report, once completed, is expected to provide key forensic findings that will shape the direction of the probe.
For now, the Nawabazar police have said they are treating the matter as a criminal investigation and will proceed according to evidence gathered on the scene and from witness interviews.
Updates are expected when the autopsy results are available and after further investigative steps are concluded.
