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‘Ichchadhari Naagin’ rumours grip UP village after 20-year-old vanishes overnight ‘leaving 5-ft-long snake skin’
The incident unfolded in Singanpur village, where a 20-year-old woman went to bed on Sunday night and was nowhere to be found by morning.
The family admitted that snakes had occasionally been seen in the area
A woman’s disappearance in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district has left an entire village buzzing with rumours, fear and wild speculation, before the police stepped in with a far more grounded explanation.
The incident unfolded in Singanpur village, where a 20-year-old woman went to bed on Sunday night and was nowhere to be found by morning. When her mother entered the room to wake her, the bed was empty. Her daughter’s clothes and jewellery were neatly placed on it. And beside them lay what appeared to be a 5-ft-long snake skin, according to NDTV.
Word spread quickly. Within hours, whispers turned into dramatic claims that the young woman was an “ichchadhari naagin”, a mythical serpent believed in folklore to shape-shift into human form. Villagers also pointed to a snake burrow in the floor of her room. The family admitted that snakes had occasionally been seen in the area.
“We are devastated and just want our daughter back safely,” the family was quoted as telling reporters, pleading for a swift police response.
Mystery in UP’s Auraiya: 20-yr-old woman vanishes from bed overnight, leaving clothes, jewellery – and a 5-ft snake skin. Rumours of ‘ichchadhari naagin’ have started doing rounds. Police dismiss as distraction & launch search. pic.twitter.com/FzXeZrVTMO
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) February 11, 2026
Social media only amplified the frenzy. Users on X rushed to post reactions, with some fully embracing the supernatural angle. Comments ranged from “Real life naagin” to “This news reminds me of Nagin 2 series”. A third person wrote, “Omg!! We have a real ichhadhari Nagin now.”
Meanwhile, local police began investigating the matter.
Ajitmal Circle Officer Manoj Gangwar said, “A case has been registered under section 87 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint by the father. We have formed several teams to track the woman down.” The BNS section is related to the offence of kidnapping, abducting, or inducing a woman to compel her into marriage.
Even as speculation spiralled, the police urged people to stay calm and avoid spreading rumours. The officer said, “The reports of the woman turning into a snake are pure rumours and should be ignored. The presence of the snake skin and clothes could be a deliberate attempt to mislead the investigation or create a distraction.”
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The police also collected mobile phones from the house to examine call records and digital activity.
However, a report in The Times of India later suggested a different story. According to the newspaper, the woman had allegedly eloped with a young man from the same village. Investigators found that she had been in a relationship with him, even as her family had recently arranged her marriage to someone else. The man was also reported missing.
As per the report, the police believe she staged the dramatic scene, leaving behind the snake slough, bangles, rings, and clothes, to create confusion and buy time before running away.
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