A woman from Mandya in Karnataka who was presumed to have been murdered about six years ago has been found to be the alive.
The twist of events has now exposed serious lapses in the investigation that led to a man being jailed for her murder for two and a half years.
N Manju, 36, who hails from Pandavapura, told reporters that she eloped and disappeared after being forced to marry Rajesh M R , 36, in 2019.
"I was not happy with my marriage. Hence, I eloped with my lover Nagendra from Chamarajanagar and married him,” she said. “I was not aware that my father had lodged a missing and murder complaint." she added.
Manju told reporters that she had no grudges toward Rajesh and that she was willing to give her statement to reveal the truth.
"I have no issue with Rajesh, an acquaintance, who is framed as the murder accused. I am ready to give a statement regarding this," she said.
In 2019, Manju, who was married to Manjunath, returned to her father’s house. On June 23, 2019, she was missing, and a complaint was lodged.
Police found that the last call she made was from Rajesh’s mobie phone after she ran into him at the bus stand.
She was living with her husband in tamil for a year before they moved to Mayigonahalli. She was found in Nagamangala taluk on November 12 this year.
Two years later in 2021 ,her father, Nagaraju, lodged a complaint against Rajesh alleging murder; he claimed his daughter was pushed into the Cauvery River by Rajesh. He was subsequently charged and jailed for more than two years. He later got bail in January 2024.
Rajesh’s father, Ramesh, later filed a complaint at the Bindiganavile police in Nagamangala taluk alleging that the Pandavapura police registered a false case, framing murder charges against Rajesh.
Rajesh was reportedly assaulted and administered electric shocks and threatened with the arrest of his family members, including is sister and brother-in-law.
Mandya Superintendent of Police (SP) V J Shobharani said that this was a rare case where the woman was alive.
"This is a rare case. Even though the woman, Manju, was alive, her father had alleged murder and had filed a case in 2021."
"Now, we found that the woman is alive. She has been sent to a women's shelter home. Rajesh has undergone 30 months of imprisonment in the case. Now, he is out on bail. The probe will reveal the lapses," she added.
