Barabanki (UP), Jul 30 (PTI) The decomposed body of a woman constable was found near a pond here on Wednesday, with police suspecting the involvement of one of her colleagues, whom she had accused of rape, in the incident.

According to eyewitnesses, the body's recovery in Bindaura village of the Masauli area triggered panic as crows were seen pecking at the corpse. Upon receiving information a police team reached the spot and sent it for a post-mortem.

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The woman was identified as Vimlesh Pal (28), from Jaisipur area of Sultanpur district, and her identity was confirmed from a police ID card found at the spot, officials said.

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Superintendent of Police (SP) Arpit Vijayvargiya, Circle Officer Garima Pant and the Masauli station house officer, along with other police personnel, reached the site and initiated a probe.

Additional Superintendent of Police Vikas Chandra Tripathi said that the area has been cordoned off and no media personnel or civilians are being allowed near the scene.

"Further details will be shared after a thorough investigation," he said, adding that all angles including murder and suicide are being probed.

Pal was posted at Subheha police station and was assigned to duty at the sanctum sanctorum of the Lodheshwar Mahadev temple, but she never reported there, SP Vijayvargiya said.

A scooter found near the scene was registered in the name of Constable Indresh Maurya, currently posted in Hardoi, he added. Police confirmed that the two had been in contact.

Officials further revealed that in 2024, she had filed a rape case against Maurya at Kotwali Nagar police station, but the duo later reached a settlement and reportedly got married. Maurya was subsequently transferred to Hardoi.

He has been on leave since July 27, and efforts are underway to trace him, police said

Inspector General (Ayodhya Range) Praveen Kumar said that initial investigation suggests the woman was in a relationship with a fellow constable, against whom she had lodged a rape case last year.

"Later, she gave a statement before a magistrate confirming their court marriage and expressed unwillingness to pursue further action," he said.

Prima facie, it appears to be a case of murder. The fellow constable in question is absconding and a search is underway, Kumar added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)