Bhiwani playschool teacher likely killed herself: Haryana Police

Bhiwani (Haryana), Aug 18 (PTI) The 19-year-old playschool teacher who was found dead last week in Bhiwani may have committed suicide, police probe has indicated so far.

The opposition parties, including the Congress, all the same, continued to insist on Monday for a CBI investigation into the death.

Manisha was found dead in a field in Singhani village, Bhiwani district, on August 13. She had been missing since August 11, after leaving school, purportedly to inquire about admission at a nearby nursing college.

A murder case was lodged by the police on the complaint of the woman's family.

The death caused widespread public outrage, with people blocking key roads in the district.

The opposition parties also flayed the BJP-led state government, claiming that the alleged murder was proof of a breakdown of law and order under the saffron party.

On Monday, the emergence of a 'suicide note' turned the investigation on its head.

A police officer, however, said that the note was found on the same day the body was discovered and Manisha's family knew about it all along.

Bhiwani Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar said the 'suicide note' was found near Manisha's body in a bag, which also had her Aadhaar and other documents.

"The handwriting matches (with that of the woman)," the SP said over the phone.

He also said there was proof Manisha bought insecticide.

"We found out with video surveillance that Manisha had gone to an insecticide shop. There is a record in the register of the seller that the woman had taken this much of quantity of insecticide and paid a particular amount for the same to the seller," the officer said.

"The next part of the investigation was whether the insecticide was consumed or not. We sent the viscera report to the FSL (forensic sciences laboratory) along with other samples. There were numerous samples given by the coroner to us," the SP said.

"In the viscera sample, the presence of insecticide has been confirmed in the body," he said.

"So, there is self-purchase, there is a suicide note, there is poison in the body…," he added.

Two autopsies, one of which was done at PGIMS Hospital in Rohtak, also unravelled the mystery behind the lacerations on Manisha's face, earlier claimed to be a slit mark.

"In the first post-mortem report, the doctor mentioned that these wounds are lacerated wounds with a gnawing effect. Gnawing is when any scavenger eats the body.

"The doctor has very clearly mentioned that these are the scavenging animal bites, and he has used the word gnawing effect.

"... a portion of the neck was missing. Eyes were not there, face skin was not there. However, no vital organ below the neck is missing," the SP said.

Earlier, Manisha's family members accused the police of delaying the registration of a complaint in the matter.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday ordered the transfer of the Superintendent of Police and suspension of five police officials from the district in connection with the teacher's death.

Sumit Kumar assumed the charge of SP two days ago.

All the same, Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the case should be handed over to the CBI, alleging that the role of government and police in the whole case had been negligent and irresponsible, and an "unfortunate attempt is being made to prove the whole case as a suicide." "The criminals who carried out this brutal crime are still roaming free. They should be arrested as soon as possible and given the harshest punishment," Hooda told reporters in Rohtak.

"Criminals commit crime wherever they want and the government remains a mute spectator," he added. PTI SUN VN VN