19-year-old woman’s death in Narmada canal: Police track down ‘missing’ acquaintance

However, Palas, 45, has told the police that Sharma allegedly "slipped and fell into the canal" while trying to retrieve her mobile phone from the water Monday evening when the two had visited the canal.

In one of the videos shared online, Ndinojuo is seen hanging from his balcony and shouting at everyone. He then jumps and is seen writhing in pain on the road. In another video, he is seen grappling with a man as locals beat him up. (Representational/File)

A day after the decomposed body of a 19-year-old woman was recovered from the Narmada canal, the Jarod police in Vadodara tracked down a family acquaintance, Abhay Palas, who had “gone missing”. The deceased Prerna Sharma’s family had accused Palas of “killing” her.

However, Palas, 45, has told the police that Sharma allegedly “slipped and fell into the canal” while trying to retrieve her mobile phone from the water Monday evening when the two had visited the canal. He said he tried to save her but as she was swept away by the currents, he fled “fearing accusation”, said a senior Jarod police official.

He was picked up by the Jarod police from the Vadodara railway station where he had arrived after being on the run for two days at Indore in Madhya Pradesh. He told the police that he was on the run as he was “scared” of being framed. The Jarod police handed over Palas to their counterparts in Bapod where Sharma’s family had registered a ‘missing person’ complaint Monday. The Bapod police began questioning Palas Saturday.

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Sharma had gone missing while returning from her workplace in Sayajipura.
However, officials said the postmortem note has not indicated any foul play. Assistant Commissioner of Police, H Division, MP Bhojani, told The Sunday Express that the police are investigating the unnatural death of Sharma. “We have detained Palas as her family has cast a doubt on him but the postmortem has only mentioned the cause of death as drowning… At this moment, there is no evidence to suggest a crime… If during the course of the probe of the accidental death, we come across incriminating evidence, we will register the FIR,” said Bhojani.

On Thursday evening, after Sharma’s decomposed body was found in the Chhani canal, her family had contended that the Bapod police had not “paid heed” to the missing person complaint filed Monday in which the family has expressed suspicion over Palas’ involvement in her death. On Friday, Palas’ wife had also approached the Jarod police saying her husband had been “missing” since Monday.

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