Jharkhand Teen Murder Solved After 9 Months, 28 Police Personnel Suspended

A long-unsolved disappearance case in Jharkhand has finally been cracked after nearly nine months, with police confirming the murder of an 18-year-old girl and recovering her remains from a forest area in Bokaro.

The victim, Pushpa Kumari, had been missing since last year. The case took a major turn when her alleged lover, Dinesh Kumar Mahato, confessed to the crime. Based on his statement, a Special Investigation Team recovered skeletal remains, clothing, hair, bone fragments, and the suspected murder weapon from a forest in the region.

According to investigators, the two had been in a relationship for several years. The accused claimed that pressure from the victim to marry led to mental stress, which he cited as the reason behind the crime. On the day of the incident, he allegedly met her near a college campus and took her to an isolated forest area, where he stabbed her to death and concealed the body before fleeing.

The case has also exposed serious lapses within the police department. Following a review of the investigation, authorities found irregularities, including attempts to weaken the case and possible misconduct. As a result, 28 police personnel, including the station house officer of the local police station, have been suspended.

Officials have initiated a departmental inquiry to examine the conduct of those involved, while further investigation into the case continues.