Woman found dead in Noida drain, her head and hands severed

NOIDA: The beheaded body of a woman was found floating in a drain near Sector 82 cut service road on Thursday afternoon, just 200 metres from the police outpost. A sweeper cleaning the road noticed the body around 11am and alerted police.A team from Sector 82 police chowki arrived at the scene and retrieved the body. Forensic teams collected biological samples and other evidence from the location. A search operation was launched in the adjoining forest area and along the service road to locate missing body parts. However, no severed limbs or head were found, officers said.Additional deputy commissioner of police Sumit Shukla said preliminary findings suggest the woman was killed approximately 20 to 25 hours before the body was discovered. “The possibility that she was murdered elsewhere and her body was later dumped here cannot be ruled out. The beheading and removal of hands appear to have been done to conceal her identity,” Shukla said.The body doesn’t have any tattoos, but she appears to be married and in her early 30s, police said. The woman’s photographs have been circulated in neighbouring police stations across Gautam Buddh Nagar and adjoining districts to establish her identity. CCTV footage from roads and establishments near the area is being scanned to trace any suspicious movement or vehicles that might have been used to transport the body.Three special investigation teams (SITs) have been formed — one focusing on identifying the deceased, another tracing the culprits, and the third analysing technical evidence. Records of missing women reported in recent days in the city and nearby areas are also being checked. “The investigation is at an early stage. All possibilities, including personal enmity or criminal conspiracy, are being explored. We are confident that the case will be solved soon,” said Shukla.