Bihar resident held on charge of woman’s murder

Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 16

The police have arrested a Bihar native, Nitish Kumar, for allegedly murdering a woman, Sanjana Devi (35), who was staying in a rented accommodation in Badhmajra. One more suspect, Pankaj Sharma, cousin of Nitish, is absconding.

The deceased has been identified as Sanjana Devi, wife of Subodh Sharma, a native of Bihar. She had been missing from her home since February. The police recovered her body wrapped in a plastic bag on the Kharar-Ropar highway near Gosal village on August 21.

Passersby noticed foul smell emanating from a plastic bag, following which they informed the police. After getting information, the police reached the spot.

Pankaj Sharma and Nitish Kumar strangled the woman to death after giving her intoxicants. They wrapped the body in a plastic bag and dumped it in a ditch near Gosal village, said the police.

Before Sanjana went missing, she was in touch with Pankaj, a resident of Gosai village in Madhepura district of Bihar.

The police said Sanjana came to Mohali with Pankaj. She stayed with Pankaj and his cousin Nitish in Phase I here till August 15. Later, she, along with her children, started living in a rented accommodation in Badhmajra.

A case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC was registered at the Sadar Kurali police station on August 21.