25 Days, 600 Hours of Footage Analysis, 1.64 Lakh Mobile Numbers Scrutinized and a 700-km Chase: Haridwar Police Crack Blind Murder Case, Woman Killed Over Love Affair

NEWS / THE POLICE TODAY 

Haridwar: Haridwar Police have successfully solved a sensational blind murder case involving the decomposed body of an unidentified woman found in the bushes near the Chandi Devi Temple ropeway route. After a marathon investigation spanning nearly 25 days, involving the analysis of over 600 hours of CCTV footage, scrutiny of more than 1.64 lakh mobile numbers, and extensive technical investigation, police arrested three accused and unraveled the mystery behind the murder.
Addressing a press conference, SSP Navneet Singh provided a detailed account of the investigation. He stated that on May 10, 2026, an unidentified woman’s body was discovered in a naked and highly decomposed condition amidst dense bushes along a damaged pedestrian pathway near the Chandi Devi Temple ropeway. The body had deteriorated to such an extent that identification appeared almost impossible.
During the inspection of the crime scene, police recovered two earrings, a broken mangalsutra, a white cloth (gamcha), and a blouse tightly wrapped around the victim’s neck, strongly indicating that the woman had been murdered.
Considering the seriousness of the case, SSP Navneet Singh personally visited the crime scene and constituted a special investigation team. Under the supervision of SP Crime Nisha Yadav, Shyampur Police Station and the CIU Haridwar team were assigned two crucial tasks: identifying the deceased woman and tracing her killers.
Identification Became the Biggest Challenge
Although the victim’s face had completely decomposed, investigators found vital clues in the form of tattoos on her hands. The name “KAUSHILYA” was tattooed on her right hand, while the letters “K.R.” and the symbol “Om” were inscribed on her left hand.
Police sought assistance from DCRB, SCRB, NCRB, and other agencies, but no breakthrough was achieved during the first 72 hours. Subsequently, the unidentified body was cremated and a murder case was registered against unknown persons.
As part of the investigation, police examined records of 164 missing women named Kaushilya reported since 2019. Additionally, data of 3,540 women bearing the same name in electoral records was analyzed. The social media monitoring team was also activated to track any missing person reports matching the victim’s profile.
600 Hours of CCTV Footage and 1.64 Lakh Mobile Numbers Examined
To uncover the truth, investigators analyzed CCTV footage recorded between May 1 and May 10 from all cameras located within a five-kilometre radius of the crime scene. Despite several cameras being damaged due to storms and adverse weather, the team successfully reviewed nearly 600 hours of footage.
Police also scrutinized 1,64,605 mobile numbers obtained from 144 hours of dump data. Through Truecaller and other technical tools, suspicious numbers were identified and examined.
A crucial breakthrough came when limited CCTV footage dated May 8 showed three suspicious men accompanied by a woman heading towards Chandi Devi Temple. However, while the men were seen returning, the woman was missing.
Investigation Reached Bundelkhand, 700 Kilometres Away
Based on CCTV footage, mobile location analysis, and other technical evidence, the investigation eventually led police to Banda district in Uttar Pradesh. Nearly 700 kilometres away in the Bundelkhand region, investigators identified three suspects — Rakesh, Ramprakash alias Govinda, and Chedilal.
During interrogation, it was revealed that the deceased was Kaushilya, wife of Pappu and a resident of Banda, Uttar Pradesh. She was reportedly involved in a romantic relationship with accused Ramprakash. Although Ramprakash was already married, Kaushilya had allegedly been pressuring him to marry her.
Unable to cope with the pressure, Ramprakash conspired with his brother Rakesh and brother-in-law Chedilal to eliminate her.
Lured to Haridwar in the Name of Chandi Devi Darshan
According to police, the accused brought Kaushilya to Haridwar on the pretext of visiting Chandi Devi Temple. They then took her to a secluded area, strangled her to death, and dumped her body in the bushes.
The accused believed that by committing the crime hundreds of kilometres away from the victim’s home, her identity would never be established. However, the relentless efforts and technical expertise of Haridwar Police exposed the conspiracy and led to the arrest of all three accused.
Reward Announced for Excellent Police Work
In recognition of the successful resolution of this complex and challenging blind murder case, the Inspector General of Police, Garhwal Range, announced a cash reward of ₹5,000 for the police team, while SSP Haridwar announced an additional reward of ₹2,500.
The case stands as a remarkable example of Haridwar Police’s technical investigation skills, patience, teamwork, and professional excellence, resulting in the successful detection of a seemingly impossible murder mystery and the arrest of all three accused.
Key Members of the Investigation Team
The successful investigation was carried out under the leadership of SP Crime Nisha Yadav, SP City Abhay Singh, CO City Shishupal Singh Negi, CIU In-charge Inspector Narendra Singh Bisht, SHO Shyampur Nitesh Sharma, SSI Manoj Rawat, SI Santosh Semwal, SI Mohan Kathait, SI Rachna Pathania, ASI Ravindra Gaur, ASI Darmiyan Singh, HC Prem Singh, HC Pankaj Deoli, Constables Rahul Dev, Vinit Kumar, Anil Rawat, Sushil Chauhan, Tejendra Singh, Omveer Singh, Jitendra Ghildiyal, Ajay Chauhan, Manmohan Singh, Madhuri Tripathi, and CIU personnel Wasim, Umesh, Harveer Singh, and Deep Gaur.