A tragic case of honour killing surfaced in Bihar’s Gopalganj district, where police arrested Ramesh Mahto on Sunday for allegedly strangling his 18-year-old sister, Puja Kumari, after finding her with 22-year-old Dharmendra Khatik in the Sheikhpali forest area. The two young adults, who were in a relationship opposed by both families, had gone missing on March 7.
Puja’s body was discovered the next day in a pond in Sheikhpali village. Dharmendra’s father, Ram Barai Khatik, had filed a missing person complaint on Friday after his son failed to return from the market.
Kateya SHO Kishore Chaudhary said Dharmendra’s family suspected he was abducted by the girl’s relatives, prompting the detention of her brother. During interrogation, Ramesh confessed to strangling Puja in a fit of rage and disposing of her body in the pond. He also revealed the location from where the police recovered her remains.
While Ramesh has been formally arrested, the police are yet to trace Dharmendra. An abandoned motorcycle, believed to belong to the missing youth, was found near the pond. The investigation continues as authorities search for clues about his whereabouts. Puja’s body was handed over to her family after postmortem.
