Kataka: Mystery shrouds the death of a 20-year-old girl who had recently qualified the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Her body was recovered from Mulusuhanga canal in Odisha’s Kataka district on Thursday, two days after her family reported her missing.
According to officials, the young woman left her residence on Tuesday morning and failed to return. Growing concerned, her family subsequently filed a missing person complaint at Nemalo police station. The search ended on Thursday afternoon when locals spotted a body floating in the canal waters and alerted police. Police personnel and a fire-fighting team soon reached the scene and retrieved the body from a location about 800 metres from her residence.
While local residents suspect that she may have accidentally slipped into the canal and drowned, the exact circumstances leading to her death remain unclear.
A comprehensive inquiry is underway to reconstruct the events and determine how she entered the canal. Forensic specialists and a scientific team visited the site to gather critical evidence and samples, which have been sent to a laboratory for detailed analysis.
Police are currently probing all potential angles to ascertain whether any foul play was involved. “The body has been sent for autopsy and the report is expected to throw more light on the cause and circumstances of her death,” said SP, Cuttack Rural, Vinit Agrawal.
He added that further action would be taken based on the postmortem findings, forensic examination and other evidence.
