Woman Declared Murdered 12 Years Ago Found Alive, 2014 Murder Case Reopened
Mian Nadeem | Published September 17, 2026 | 04:42 PM
Police officials revealed that Shakuntala Devi had been living under a different identity in Jharkhand for over a decade after receiving ₹800,000 from her in-laws through relatives to settle an alleged murder case.
A Living Mystery Unveiled
A woman believed to be murdered 12 years ago in India, Shakuntala Devi, has been discovered alive, leading to the re-opening of a 2014 murder case against her husband and in-laws. The identity of a body recovered from a canal remains shrouded in mystery.
According to an Indian magazine, Shakuntala went missing from her in-laws' home in the Rohtas district of Bihar state in 2014. Her brother informed police that she had previously complained of harassment by her in-laws over dowry demands.
Two days after the case was registered, the body of an unidentified woman was found in a canal near Khanda village. Shakuntala's brother and a local official allegedly identified the body as belonging to Shakuntala. The body underwent a post-mortem, leading to murder charges being added to the case.
Arun Mehta, Shakuntala's husband, along with her father-in-law Dileep, brother-in-law Govind Kumar, and others were arrested. Arun spent some time in jail but was later granted bail, while legal proceedings continued.
The family's lawyer claimed that Shakuntala's relatives demanded ₹800,000 to resolve the matter. They alleged that the Mehta family had to sell their ancestral land to fulfill this demand.
The family's lawyer further stated that two months ago, they were informed that Shakuntala had been spotted in a neighboring state, Jharkhand. Family members traveled there and claimed to have identified the woman. They subsequently contacted Rohtas police.
During the investigation, police traced the woman to Lahbari village in Garhwa district, Jharkhand, where she was allegedly living with another man under the name "Kanti Devi." After bringing her back to Rohtas, police produced her before a court in Sasaram. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings against her on various charges, including fraud and criminal conspiracy.
The discovery of Shakuntala alive has taken the 2014 incident in a new direction. Police are now investigating to determine whose body was recovered from the canal 12 years ago and how it was initially identified as Shakuntala's. They are also examining why her brother made the positive identification.
Police stated that any evidence of false statements, forgery, or other illegal acts will be addressed according to the law if uncovered during the investigation.