The body of a 22-year-old woman was discovered stuffed in a suitcase near the Sampla bus stand on the Rohtak-Delhi highway on Saturday, police said.
The victim, identified as Himani Narwal from Kathura village in Sonepat, was a Congress worker. She had participated in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Haryana and had also been involved in various political events, including those with Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda.
Narwal, known for performing with Haryanvi folk artistes at Congress rallies and social events, was found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Commuters noticed the abandoned suitcase just 200 metres from the Sampla bus stand and alerted the police. Upon opening it, officers found Narwal’s body with visible injury marks on her neck, suggesting she was strangled, said Rohtak police spokesperson Sunny Loura.
Sampla Police Station SHO Bijender Singh confirmed that forensic teams were called to the scene to collect evidence. “We suspect she was killed elsewhere before her body was stuffed in the suitcase and dumped here. CCTV footage is being analysed to determine when the suitcase was left at the spot,” he added.
Congress leaders expressed shock and outrage over Narwal’s murder, calling for a thorough investigation.
Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra urged Rohtak’s Superintendent of Police to form a special investigation team (SIT) to ensure swift justice. “The accused must face the strictest punishment,” he stated.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also condemned the crime, calling it a “blot on the state’s law and order.” He demanded a high-level, impartial probe, emphasising that criminals must be dealt with strictly to prevent such incidents in the future.
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‘Haryana one of the most unsafe states for women’: Bhupinder Hooda
“Haryana has become one of the most unsafe states for women, as reflected in crime data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and the Union Government’s Social Progress Index. The BJP government has failed miserably in ensuring security,” Hooda said.
He further claimed that Haryana records an alarming rate of violent crimes daily, including three to four murders, multiple rapes, kidnappings, and over 100 theft cases. “The lawlessness in the state resembles jungle raj,” he remarked.
The police investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to identify suspects and establish the motive behind Narwal’s murder.
Sampla SHO Bijender Kumar said that they have booked unknown persons under sections 103(1) and 238(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on a complaint filed by sub-inspector Narender posted at Sampla police station.
In his complaint to the police, Narender said that he, along with his colleagues was checking vehicles and they saw a suitcase nearly 80 metres from the Rohtak-Delhi highway in Sampla.
“When I unzipped the suitcase, I saw a woman with injury marks. Then we informed our SHO and forensic experts. The woman’s body was taken to PGIMS for post-mortem and identification,” he added.
Sampla SHO Bijender Singh said that they are checking the call details of Himani and CCTV cameras near the crime scene to find clues behind her murder.
The deceased’s mother and brother are mum over the incident.
