Jamshedpur: Missing 15-Year-Old Student Found Dead; Family Alleges Murder

Jamshedpur (IANS): The body of a missing 15-year-old Class 9 student was found hanging from a tree in a secluded area of Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district. The deceased, Mala Singh, had been missing since the evening of May 21.

On Saturday, villagers discovered her body in a secluded field about two kilometres from her home in Nutandih village, under the Bodam police station limits, sparking panic and outrage throughout the community.

The situation escalated on Sunday when the family received the body after the post-mortem examination. Alleging murder, family members and local residents demanded a fair, high-level investigation and the immediate arrest of the culprits.

Chronology of the Disappearance

Mala Singh studied in Class 9 at Lailam School in Bodam. Her family stated that she left home on the evening of May 21, telling them she was going to bathe in the village pond. When she failed to return by late evening, family members and villagers searched the nearby areas.

Despite extensive efforts over the next two days, the search yielded no traces. On Saturday, local residents spotted her body hanging from a tree in an isolated spot outside the village and alerted the police.

A team from the Bodam police station arrived at the scene, lowered the body, and took it into custody. Following legal formalities, authorities sent the body to MGM Medical College for a post-mortem examination and handed it back to the family on Sunday.

Family Rejects Suicide Theory

The incident has devastated the family and spread grief and anger across the village.

Family members have rejected the possibility of suicide and are calling the incident a murder. They noted that Mala was cheerful and showed no signs of distress or suicidal behaviour. They also questioned how she could have reached a deserted location two kms away when she had only intended to visit the nearby village pond. The family claimed scratch marks on her body pointed to a struggle before her death.

Villagers have warned of protests unless authorities conduct a fair probe and identify those responsible. The Bodam police station in charge confirmed that officers have registered an unnatural death case and are investigating all possible angles. He added that while the case initially resembles suicide, the post-mortem report will establish the exact cause of death.