Kasol, 13 January 2025: Himachal Police registered a murder case after the body of a 23-year-old woman was abandoned in a hotel reception in Kasol, Kullu district, late Saturday night. Two youths, identified as suspects, fled the scene and remain absconding.
Akash Deep Singh, from Punjab’s Bathinda district, along with his friend and the woman, had been staying in room 904 of the hotel since January 10.
Around 12:30 a.m., a female receptionist and two hotel staff members, who were dining at the restaurant, noticed the two youths carrying the unconscious woman—one holding her by the head and the other by the feet.
When questioned, the youths claimed she had fainted in the bathroom after consuming alcohol and sought directions to the hospital. The receptionist advised them to wait while she contacted the manager and arranged for assistance. However, the suspects placed the woman’s body on the floor and fled in a Scorpio with a Punjab registration plate.
Upon inspection, the hotel staff found the woman unresponsive and immediately called the police. The body was transported to the hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Authorities reported finding white foam around her mouth.
Kullu ASP Sanjeev Chauhan stated, “The statements of the hotel staff have been recorded. Both accused fled the scene, and police have set up roadblocks to apprehend them. Efforts are also underway to identify the background of the deceased woman.”
This incident marks the second murder reported in the Manikaran Valley within a week. On Tuesday, an elderly homestay owner was killed, and her husband critically injured in a robbery where assailants fled with ₹60,000. No arrests have been made in either case, and investigations are ongoing.
