Patna: The body of a woman found lodged inside a water harvesting pipe at Patna’s Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport remains unidentified even after 144 hours, with no breakthrough from the police despite reviewing extensive CCTV footage and interrogations.
Officials from the Airport police station, District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and Technical Cell — led by Secretariat DSP Dr Anu Kumari — have scoured recordings from 36 surveillance cameras and deployed 12 officers to piece together the woman’s last known movements. But no definitive leads have emerged.
Postmortem reveals head injury, rape suspected
The preliminary postmortem report noted significant trauma to the victim’s head. Additional forensic findings are pending from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), which is also examining swab samples collected from the body. Authorities suspect sexual assault prior to the murder.
Investigators noted that the woman’s jewellery — a nose ring and a neck chain — were still intact, leading to the belief that robbery was not a motive. Her clothes were partially torn and missing, raising further suspicions of rape followed by murder.
Brutalised and unidentified
A police panchanama documented multiple injuries: the victim’s skin had peeled from her knees and legs, with visible bruises on her face and ear. The upper body was unclothed, and the lower body was crudely covered with a petticoat.
The state of the body suggested the crime may have occurred on or before May 8, the night labourers and security staff were present at the airport’s under-construction terminal.
DNA testing and fingerprint match underway
The police are now preparing to conduct DNA testing once the FSL report is received. Fingerprints collected from the pipe site — over 20 sets — are being compared with those of the workers and guards who were on duty the night of the crime.
A list of suspects is being drawn up for further questioning, and authorities are closely monitoring airport employees who may have been present or connected to the location. Police say staff are increasingly reluctant to speak about the case.
Investigation continues
Despite the lack of identity, officers are hopeful that FSL findings and DNA results will provide crucial clues. Until then, the woman’s name, origin, and the full circumstances leading to her death remain unknown — a grim mystery unfolding in one of Bihar’s most secure zones.
