Ratlam Youth Strangles 20-Year-Old Girlfriend On Pretext Of Prayagraj Trip, Dumps Body Near Railway Tracks & Flees

Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh): A youth allegedly strangled her 20-year-old girlfriend to death in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam. The accused reportedly promised to take her to Prayagraj but allegedly killed her and dumped her body in a drain before fleeing to Uttar Pradesh. The deceased was identified as Sunhari, (20) a first-year college student from Rajasthan's Banswara district. She had been missing from her home since October 9.

According to reports, the accused, identified as 20-year-old Vikas Yadav, belonged to the same village as the victim. He was arrested from Uttar Pradesh.

Police officials said the couple checked into a hotel near Ratlam railway station on October 9. They reportedly stayed in Room No. 2 for nearly four hours before leaving.

The accused allegedly took Sunhari towards the railway tracks near Platform No. 4, claiming they would travel to Prayagraj. However, an argument reportedly broke out between them. Police suspect that Vikas strangled her and abandoned her body near Bakra Pul before escaping.

The woman's body was discovered on October 10. Police circulated her photograph across neighbouring districts, leading to her identification on October 12.

During the investigation, police recovered her college bag containing books, notebooks and a uniform around 100 metres from the spot.

Rajasthan Police subsequently arrested Vikas in Uttar Pradesh and brought him to Ratlam on Tuesday. Police officials said investigators also examined hotel records and inspected the suspected crime scene.

Preliminary findings suggest the couple was in a relationship. However, the exact motive behind the alleged murder remains unclear.

Police are also investigating reports that the accused was involved with another woman. The post-mortem report is awaited to confirm the exact cause of death. Further investigation is underway.