Bathinda, March 13 — The body of 19-year-old Charis Goyal, who had been missing for two days, was recovered from a canal near Yatri village in Maur Mandi, Bathinda.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) carried out the recovery operation. Goyal, a student in Chandigarh, was returning to her village in Bathinda when she disappeared.
Following protests by her family, police arrested five people, including a husband, wife, and their son. The family accused acquaintances of kidnapping and murdering her.
Tensions escalated as traders and the victim’s relatives shut down markets and surrounded the police station, accusing authorities of negligence. Protesters claimed that timely police action could have prevented the situation from worsening.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amneet Kaudal stated that a case has been registered against over a dozen individuals under multiple legal provisions.
SHO Maur Mandi Inspector Manjit Singh has been suspended for negligence in handling the case.
