Uttarakhand nurse assaulted and killed while returning home from hospital; suspect arrested
PTC News Desk: In a tragic echo of the recent rape and murder of a female doctor in Kolkata, a similar case has emerged in Uttarakhand. Police have apprehended a suspect in connection with the brutal murder of a 33-year-old nurse whose body was discovered in an empty plot near Vasundhara Enclave in Bilaspur.
The nurse was reported missing on the night of July 30 after completing her shift at a private hospital in Rudrapur. She was last seen leaving Indira Chowk in an auto-rickshaw, but she never arrived at her rented accommodation. Her sister filed a missing person report the following day, on July 31. Unfortunately, over a week later, her mutilated body was found.
SSP Dr. Manjunath TC reported that the initial post-mortem examination did not reveal a definitive cause of death. However, CCTV footage from the area around the time of her disappearance captured a suspect in the vicinity. Police traced the victim’s stolen mobile phone to Dharmendra, a resident of Bareilly.
An immediate search operation was launched after it was discovered that Dharmendra and his family had fled the area. This operation eventually led to his arrest in Rajasthan. During interrogation, Dharmendra confessed to the crime. He admitted to following the nurse, attacking her in a secluded spot, raping her after strangling her with a scarf, and then severely injuring her face with rocks. To cover up his crime, he hid her body in the bushes and stole her belongings, including cash and her mobile phone.
The police also revealed that Dharmendra had a prior criminal record, having previously served time under the Arms Act.