Woman's body found in Kasol hotel, murder case registered

The Kullu police have filed a murder case after the body of a 23-year-old woman was found abandoned by two youths in the reception area of a hotel in Kasol, Manikaran Valley, late on Saturday night. The youths, who had been staying with the woman, are now on the run.

The victim, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, had been staying in room number 904 of the hotel with Akash Deep Singh, a resident of Bathinda, Punjab and another man since January 10.

At around 12.30 am on Saturday night, the hotel receptionist and two staff members were having dinner in the hotel restaurant after their shift. The two youths then appeared, carrying the unconscious woman — one lifting her by the head and the other by the feet. They claimed she had fainted after falling in the bathroom and they were taking her to the hospital. They also asked for directions to the nearest hospital.

Suspicious of the situation, the receptionist asked them to wait while she consulted the hotel manager and arranged for assistance. However, the youths abandoned the woman at the hotel entrance and fled in a black SUV with a Punjab registration number.

When the staff checked the woman, they grew suspicious. They alerted the authorities, who arrived at the scene and rushed her to the hospital, where doctors confirmed her death.

The receptionist, who had grown suspicious of the youths’ behaviour, told police the way they were handling the unconscious woman and their sudden disappearance, suggested foul play. Foam was found coming from the woman’s mouth. The youths had claimed the woman had consumed excessive alcohol, which caused her to fall and lose consciousness.

Kullu’s Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjeev Chauhan said statements from hotel staff had been recorded. "The suspects are on the run. We are investigating the case and have set up checkpoints at various locations to apprehend them. We are also working to uncover the background of the deceased woman," he said.

This incident marks the second murder in the Manikaran Valley in less than a week. On Tuesday, an elderly woman, who ran a homestay, was murdered by unknown assailants during a robbery in which Rs 60,000 was stolen. The suspects in both cases remain at large, with no arrests made so far.