Sharmili Mallick

Jajpur: Police recovered the body of a girl from the roadside near Mulapala Chhak under Kuakhia police limits in Jajpur district on Wednesday morning.

The girl, a resident of Jashipur police station area in Mayurbhanj district was a Plus 3 second-year student of Rama Devi Women's University in Bhubaneswar.

Speaking on the matter, vice-chancellor of the University, Aparajita Chowdhury said, "She was staying at the tribal hostel provided by the government. Last year in March, she had gone to her house in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and never returned as the COVID protocol of government allows only final year students to stay in varsity hostel."

"She was a 2nd Year student of Philosophy Department. The second-year students are presently having online classes. I am saddened by the incident but as it has not happened inside the university campus or the hostel, we are not going to register any complaint in this regard," she added.

Eyewitnesses said at around 8 AM, two youths brought the girl's body on a scooter and fled the spot after dumping her on the roadside. The entire act was recorded in a CCTV camera installed near the spot.

"Two youths came on a scooter carrying the girl and threw her body on the roadside before escaping the spot," said a local resident who claims to have witnessed the incident.

After receiving the information, Jajpur Road Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) along with a team of Kuakhia Police rushed to the spot and initiated an investigation into the incident.

Sources said, the girl had gone to Bhubaneswar on January 24 and attended her class the next day. However, the exact circumstance under which she went to Jajpur from the capital city remains a mystery for the police.

The body of the girl has been sent for post-mortem to Jajpur Hospital. Police have seized the CCTV camera for tracing the criminals.

The parents of the girl have been intimated about her death. They have also been asked to depose before the police for identification.

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