Lucknow police arrested a 23-year-old man on Tuesday for the murder of a 22-year-old MNC employee, Shivani Singh, after a phone call she received on the day she went missing led investigators to him. Shivani was allegedly killed just four days after her engagement. Her body was recovered near Utretia railway station in Vrindavan Yojana on Monday.
How the phone call cracked the case
Shivani had left her home on May 17 for office but did not return. Her body bore multiple injuries. ADCP, South Zone, Vasanth Kumar, said police scanned CCTV footage and analysed Shivani’s call detail records. The investigation revealed that Shivani had received a call from her alleged lover, Prem Kumar Manjhi, shortly before her disappearance. The call and subsequent location tracking led investigators to him.
Details of the murder
ADCP Kumar said Shivani got engaged to Prakash on May 14, and preparations for the wedding were underway at her home. During questioning, investigators learnt that Prem, with whom Shivani had reportedly been in a relationship for nearly six years, was upset over her engagement. According to police, Prem called Shivani to meet him at an isolated stretch near the railway station on the night of May 17. A heated argument allegedly broke out between the two over her engagement and relationship issues, following which he allegedly strangled her with a rubber pipe.
Destruction of evidence
Police said Prem dragged the body into nearby bushes and smashed her head with a stone. He then dumped her mobile phone into the Telibagh canal to destroy evidence. Prem Kumar Manjhi has been booked under Sections 103(1) and 238 of the BNS for murder and destruction of evidence.
