PRAYAGRAJ— In a tragic turn of events, the body of a newly married woman who went missing from the Jhalwa fair six days ago was recovered on Saturday from a deep gorge near the Khaderi River in the airport area of Prayagraj.
The woman, identified as 20-year-old Rabita, had reportedly gone to the fair with her husband but never returned. Her husband, Rakesh, has lodged a complaint alleging that his wife was murdered and her body dumped in the gorge.
From Joyous Outing to Disappearance
According to the family, on the night of October 5, around 9:30 pm, Rabita and her husband Rakesh — a legal clerk working under a lawyer at the Allahabad High Court — had gone to visit the annual Jhalwa Mela.
Upon reaching the fair’s main gate near the barrier, Rabita asked Rakesh to stop the bike, saying she wanted to buy a few items and would return in half an hour.
When she didn’t come back, Rakesh waited anxiously, thinking she might have gone to meet someone or returned home by another route.
Hours later, when he reached home and realized she was not there, panic set in. He, along with his family, went back to the fair and searched for her until 4 a.m., but there was no trace of Rabita.
The next day, Rakesh submitted a written missing-person complaint first at Rajrooppur police outpost and later at the Dhoomanganj police station, but no formal FIR was registered, a lapse that family members now say cost them valuable time.
Gruesome Discovery in Khaderi River Gorge
Nearly a week later, on Friday evening, local cattle grazers spotted what appeared to be a decomposed body in a forest area near Ganja village, along the Khaderi River. The location was about 40 feet deep inside a water-filled gorge.
When Rakesh heard the news, he rushed to the site but was unable to identify the body immediately due to the darkness and severe decomposition. Returning the next morning, he recognized the remains from a distinct physical feature — three fingers missing from Rabita’s left hand, which she had lost in childhood in a fodder-cutting machine accident.
The Airport police soon arrived, recovered the body, and sent it for post-mortem examination. Rabita’s mobile phone was missing from the scene, suggesting possible foul play.
Autopsy: Cause of Death Still Unknown
A panel of two doctors conducted the autopsy, but the exact cause of death could not be established due to the advanced state of decomposition.
According to the medical report:
- The body was several days old.
- It had been partially consumed by insects and animals.
- The head was completely missing, making forensic identification difficult.
- No internal organs were intact enough for viscera preservation.
Police officials have noted that these findings point to the body having been dumped at the site several days earlier, possibly shortly after the woman’s disappearance.
Family Background & Investigation
Rabita was the youngest of three daughters of Kishan Lal, a resident of Phulwari Bagh, Kathula village. Her two elder sisters are married and live with their in-laws, while she continued to live with her father even after her love marriage to Rakesh about six weeks ago.
The couple had married against family expectations but were reportedly living peacefully at Kishan Lal’s home.
Airport Police Station SHO Vinay Kumar Singh confirmed that an FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons for murder and destruction of evidence.
Police are now analyzing Rabita’s mobile call data records (CDR) and mapping her last known location to trace her final movements.
Authorities also intend to question individuals she might have interacted with at the fair and are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby shops and routes leading to the fairground.
Questions Over Police Inaction
Family members allege negligence on the part of the police for not promptly registering a missing-person report despite repeated appeals.
Residents, too, have expressed anger over the delay, pointing out that a timely investigation could have potentially saved Rabita’s life or led to the early detection of foul play.
What Lies Ahead
Police are awaiting digital forensics, phone records, and post-mortem clarification from higher medical authorities before naming suspects.
The missing head, absence of viscera, and decomposed state complicate the investigation, but circumstantial evidence suggests the possibility of premeditated murder.
Authorities are exploring several motives, including personal enmity, marital dispute, or abduction, and are not ruling out the involvement of individuals known to the victim.
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