Indore MBA Student Found Dead in Colleague's Room, Suspect Absconding
In a deeply disturbing incident, a 24-year-old MBA student was found dead in a nude state inside her male colleague's rented room in Indore on Friday. The discovery came three days after she was reported missing, sending shockwaves through the local community and raising serious questions about the handling of the case.
Discovery and Initial Findings
Police officials stated that the matter came to light after a neighbor complained about a foul smell emanating from the locked rented room. A team from Dwarkapuri police responded promptly, breaking open the door to find the woman lying lifeless and nude on the bed. Deputy Commissioner of Police Krishna Lalchandani noted that there were clear signs of struggle at the scene.
"Prima facie, it appears that she was strangulated with a rope," the DCP said, highlighting the violent nature of the crime. The room belonged to her classmate, a resident of Mandsaur, who had rented it for his studies. Both individuals were pursuing an MBA from an institute in Indore and were reportedly in a relationship.
Timeline of Events
The victim had been missing since February 10. According to police accounts, she had gone to the collectorate to get her birth certificate rectified. Her father dropped her off at the location and left. From there, she called her younger sister, informing her that she was attending a birthday party and would return by 11 pm.
She never returned home, and her phone was switched off thereafter. Her family members searched through the night before filing a missing person's case at Pandarinath police station the next morning. Relatives have alleged that police failed to act promptly despite repeated requests, with searches continuing through February 12 without meaningful progress.
Disturbing Digital Evidence
On the same night the missing report was filed, an objectionable video was posted on the college's official WhatsApp group from the victim's mobile phone. In the clip, the youth's face was covered with an emoji, while the victim's face was clearly visible. College authorities quickly deleted the video and contacted her father the following day, informing him that both students' phones were switched off.
The family then approached police again before a formal missing person complaint was registered in the early hours. They alleged that the accused used her phone to upload the video on her profile status and sent it to people in her contact list, adding a layer of digital harassment to the tragedy.
Police Response and Investigation
DCP Lalchandani explained that since the girl went missing from the collectorate area, the complaint was filed at Pandarinath police station. He acknowledged that family members may have accompanied a constable to the youth's rented room, but since it was locked from outside and police lacked concrete proof, they did not break it open at that time.
"A constable visited the youth's rented room but returned after finding it locked from outside, informing the landlord to alert police if anyone arrived," Lalchandani stated, defending the initial police actions. The youth, who has been missing since the incident came to light, is now officially reported as absconding. His father runs a grocery shop in Mandsaur, while the suspect had been living in Indore for his studies.
Ongoing Developments
Police have launched intensive searches to trace the absconding suspect. Meanwhile, the victim's post-mortem report is awaited to ascertain the exact cause of death, which will provide crucial forensic evidence for the investigation. The case has highlighted concerns about student safety and police responsiveness in missing person cases, particularly when digital evidence suggests foul play.
As the investigation continues, authorities are under pressure to deliver justice and address the family's allegations of delayed action. The community remains in shock over this tragic loss of a young life, with calls for stricter safety measures and more efficient law enforcement protocols in such sensitive matters.
