Bettiah/Patna: The partially decomposed and dismembered body of a 19-year-old man, who had been missing for more than two months, was recovered from a canal in Bettiah in West Champaran district, sparking public outrage and raising questions over alleged police inaction.
Amit Kumar, a resident of Sun Saraiya village in Bettiah’s Mufassil police station area, had been missing since March 27. His remains were discovered on Saturday night after local residents spotted stray dogs pulling body parts from the canal. Police confirmed only the torso has been recovered so far, with the search ongoing for the missing limbs. The family identified the remains through his clothing and a belt.
Kumar’s family has accused the father and brother of his girlfriend of murder, claiming that the two lured him to their home under false pretences before holding him captive for nearly a month. They allege that Amit, who belonged to a different community, was killed in a premeditated attack and his body dismembered before being dumped in the canal.
The incident has sparked unrest in the area. On Sunday, residents and family members blocked the Bettiah-Nautan main road for two hours in protest, demanding justice and accountability. Police officials arrived at the scene to pacify the crowd, promising swift action and a thorough investigation.
The Bettiah Government Medical College Hospital reportedly refused to conduct a postmortem due to the advanced state of decomposition, referring the case to Patna Medical College instead.
Family members have also levelled serious accusations of negligence against the local police. Teku Mahato, the deceased’s uncle, said that despite filing a missing person report shortly after Amit’s disappearance, police failed to act. “Had they taken our complaint seriously, my nephew might still be alive,” he said.
Ramvati Devi, the victim’s mother, recounted repeated visits to the police station. “They kept telling us they would act if they found any clue. Now my son is gone,” she said.
Local authorities, including Sadar SDPO Vivek Deep, have confirmed that an investigation is underway and arrests have been made. “We are interrogating the accused and verifying all aspects of the case. We urge people not to fall prey to rumours and to maintain peace,” he said.
The atmosphere in the village remains tense, with police closely monitoring the situation to prevent further escalation.
