Probe begins after woman’s body found in Narmada canal

A case of accidental death was registered at the Fatehgunj police station, while Bapod police station, where Prerna’s family filed a missing complaint, is investigating the role of family friend Abhay Palas (45), who has also allegedly been missing from Monday (March 20) after “picking up” Prerna from her workplace.

Prerna’s younger sister, Priya, said, “Abhay (Palas) took Prerna on his motorcycle on Monday evening. Thereafter, both their phones were switched off. My father and I searched for my sister the whole night. When we called Abhay’s wife, she said that he was not home since the previous day. Finally, we approached Bapod police station and handed over the (Palas’) address but for three days the police did not take any action.”

According to police, Prerna’s family and Palas are known to each other and she had secured a job at a warehouse of spices in Sayajipura through Palas.

Inspector CP Vaghela of Bapod police station said, “We visited the address that the family provided but did not find Abhay there. The families are known to each other and they have confirmed that he used to pick up and drop the deceased from home and work. His wife has also filed a missing persons’ complaint at Jarod police station… There is no FIR in the case yet.”

Officials of Fatehgunj police station said that the jurisdiction of investigating the crime was with Bapod police station. Inspector VK Desai of Fatehgunj station said, “The end of the Chhani canal is in the jurisdiction of Fatehgunj police station… We do register a case of accidental death but there is a missing person complaint in Bapod and they will take forward the actual investigation in the case.”

The family of the deceased said that Prerna had been working for over a year to support her family that comprises her father, who is a bangle vendor, and four siblings.