Madhepura/Patna: The body of a 19-year-old woman, Anjali Devi, missing for 12 days, was discovered buried in a shallow grave in Madhepura’s Tulsia Panchayat area under the Bihariganj police station. On Monday evening, local residents spotted a pack of dogs tearing at the grave, revealing a part of the woman’s leg. Police were informed and recovered the body from a one-foot-deep pit.
The deceased, identified as the wife of Mithilesh Mallah of Baijnathpur, Rajganj Panchayat, had reportedly faced harassment for dowry after her marriage nine months ago. Anjali’s aunt, Pinky Devi, confirmed her identity and alleged that Mithilesh had been demanding a bike in dowry, subjecting Anjali to physical abuse.
According to Pinky Devi, Anjali had returned to her home in December after being unable to bear the abuse. Following mediation between the families, she returned to her in-laws’ house. However, on January 16, she went missing. A panchayat was convened to discuss her disappearance, but before a formal missing persons report could be filed, her body was discovered.
The body was found in the garden of Mohammad Tanveer Alam. Villager Rajo Kumar first noticed a dog digging in the area and discovered a woman’s leg protruding from the soil. Tanveer Alam alerted the police, who arrived with magistrate Avinash Kumar to recover the body, which was wrapped in a white plastic bag.
Magistrate Avinash Kumar said the condition of the body suggests the murder occurred a week ago. Bihariganj police station in-charge Amit Ranjan confirmed that the body has been sent for postmortem, and forensic experts have examined the site. “Initial findings indicate murder,” Ranjan said. “The police are taking further action based on the statements of the victim’s family members.”
Anjali’s case has raised concerns about dowry-related violence in the region, with locals calling for stricter enforcement of laws against such practices.
