Panic gripped the Dhaula Kuan area of Paonta Sahib police subdivision in Sirmaur district this morning after a half-burnt body of a woman was found lying inside a forest near the Police Battalion along the Chandigarh-Dehradun highway. The sensational discovery was made in the Karonda Wali Ghati forest area after local residents alerted the police.
Police teams rushed to the spot and cordoned off the entire area after witnessing the shocking condition of the body. According to preliminary information, the woman’s body was found badly charred in a deserted patch of forest, raising strong suspicion that an attempt was made to destroy her identity by setting the body on fire.
Investigators suspect that some inflammable substance may have been used to burn the body. However, officials said no final conclusion has been reached and every angle of the case is being examined carefully. Owing to the seriousness of the matter, the body was not shifted immediately and the crime scene was secured until the arrival of the forensic team to preserve crucial evidence.
Police officials believe the isolated forest location may have been deliberately chosen to dispose of the body without attracting attention. Sources said investigators are also probing the possibility that the woman may have been murdered elsewhere and her body later transported to the forest in a vehicle. The approach route connecting the highway to the forest has further strengthened suspicion regarding the use of a vehicle in the crime.
Police have started scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas and are gathering information about suspicious vehicle movement along the highway during the night.
Paonta Sahib Sub divisional police officer Manvendra Thakur also reached the spot and inspected the scene. Confirming the recovery of the half-burnt body, he said the actual facts would emerge only after the forensic examination and detailed investigation. Prima facie, it appears that an attempt was made to conceal the woman’s identity by burning the body, he added.
The gruesome incident has triggered fear among local residents, who have raised concerns over security in isolated forest areas. Police said an intensive probe is underway and the mystery behind the incident would be uncovered soon.
