Severed head of woman recovered nearly 40 km from body recovery site in Malkangiri

Malkangiri police on Wednesday recovered the severed head of a woman nearly 40 kilometres from the spot where her headless body was found last week. The recovery was made near a riverbank close to a Kanya Ashram in Rakhelguda during a follow-up investigation, sources said. Officers rushed to the area after being alerted by villagers.

According to reports, the woman’s headless body was recovered on December 4. However, the missing head had remained untraceable until today, fuelling tensions and disputes between MV-26 and Rakhelguda villages over the past several days.

Police have intensified their investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the gruesome incident. Authorities stated that this absence of the head fuelled disagreements between the two neighbouring areas following the murder.

Dispute Between Two Villages Reported

Sources indicate that the unresolved recovery of the head had caused a prolonged dispute between the two villages. The confrontation continued over several days as both sides alleged responsibility and raised objections following the incident.

Officials stated that the recovery today took place after villagers informed investigating teams about the presence of the severed head near the river.

Incident Had Triggered Unrest

The woman, reportedly from Rakhelguda, had gone missing on December 3 before her headless body was recovered a day later. The circumstances triggered unrest, including gatherings and confrontations in affected localities.

Earlier, searches were underway to locate the missing body part while police continued examination of the recovered remains. Investigators have maintained search operations in multiple areas since the incident.

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Peace Talks Already Conducted

A district-level peace committee meeting was held in Malkangiri on Tuesday after the initial unrest between MV-26 and Rakhelguda, where senior officers, including the DIG and Superintendent of Police, met representatives of both villages.

The SP reported that a peace pact had been facilitated and that legal restrictions and security deployment continued in the locality during the period of tension.

As of the last reports, police stated that the severed head has now been secured as part of the murder probe. Further examination of the recovered remains and related investigation procedures are ongoing.