Police in the Ghatampur area of Kanpur district have taken two men into custody following the suspicious demise of a 24-year-old woman who was seven months pregnant. The victim's body was discovered several days ago in a mango grove situated on the outskirts of her village. Following a formal complaint submitted by the victim's father, local law enforcement registered a murder case against Patara resident Arvind, also known as Gola Pandey, and Pranjul Pal, a resident of Naraini in neighboring Fatehpur district. Both suspects, who were allegedly involved in romantic relationships with the woman, were formally presented before a magistrate on Sunday and subsequently remanded to judicial custody as forensic and medical investigations continue.
Post-Mortem Findings and Forensic Investigation
Medical examiners conducting the autopsy confirmed that the deceased was seven months pregnant at the time of her death. However, the initial post-mortem examination failed to establish a definitive cause of death. To evaluate the possibility of sexual assault, medical professionals prepared fluid slides for laboratory analysis and secured DNA samples from the unborn fetus. Ghatampur police officials stated that comprehensive conclusions regarding the cause of death remain pending until formal chemical and forensic test reports are delivered. Investigating officers are also reviewing physical evidence retrieved from the scene to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Interrogation Details Regarding Pranjul Pal
According to Ghatampur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Krishnakant, interrogations revealed that Pranjul Pal had maintained contact with the woman for approximately four years. Pranjul disclosed that his mother's maternal aunt resides in Hirni village within the Ghatampur jurisdiction, which led to his frequent visits to the locality. It was during these visits that he originally met the victim. During questioning, Pranjul claimed that the young woman regularly requested financial assistance from him under the pretext of medical treatment. Authorities are currently reviewing his statements alongside physical evidence to verify his claims and determine his exact involvement.
Arvind Pandey's Account and Hospital Sequence
The second accused, Arvind alias Gola Pandey, provided a distinct account of his association with the deceased. Arvind explained to investigators that he leased his agricultural land to the victim's father under a sharecropping arrangement. His interactions with the woman began while she worked in these fields. Arvind admitted to providing her with monetary aid on several occasions and purchasing a scooter for her use. He further stated that she informed him about her seven-month pregnancy, which prompted him to take action.
Arvind transported the woman to a hospital in Kanpur seeking medical intervention, where he attempted to register her by posing as her father. Recognizing her critical condition, attending doctors declined to administer treatment. Arvind subsequently arranged for an ambulance to transport her back toward her village, dropping her off near the settlement boundary.
Unanswered Questions and Ongoing Legal Action
According to Arvind's statement, he instructed the woman to return to her home before departing the area himself. He claimed that upon learning about the discovery of her body in the mango orchard the following day, he fled out of fear. Police are currently focusing on determining the precise circumstances surrounding her death, particularly how she arrived at the mango orchard after being left near the village boundary.
ACP Krishnakant confirmed that both individuals were charged with murder based on the father's written statement and have been remanded in jail. Authorities emphasized that further legal steps will depend on the findings of the pending forensic and toxicology reports, which will clarify whether foul play directly caused her death. In an unrelated incident in Uttar Pradesh's Farrukhabad district, a man tied a scarf around his wife's neck and threw her into the Ganga River at Kamalganj, highlighting additional domestic violence concerns across the region.
