Days after the body of a Haryana-based model was recovered from a canal in Sonepat, the man she was allegedly in a relationship with has been arrested. Sheetal, 24, was found with her throat slit and injuries in other parts of the body on Sunday. A car was also recovered from the canal.
Talking to Reporters, Panipat Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Satish Kumar on Tuesday said that Israna resident Sunil, the suspect, has been arrested. He had allegedly pushed the car into the canal, got himself admitted to a hospital. He also told police that he managed to swim to safety and allegedly tried to pass it off as an accident.
He further said, “The case is being investigated from all angles. The accused is changing his statements frequently. Sheetal's body has been sent to Khanpur Medical College for autopsy. We are awaiting the post-mortem report.”
Sub-Inspector Sandeep told the media persons that Sheetal’s elder sister Neha on June 15 lodged a complaint about her disappearance. The model, Sheetal alias Simmi, lived with her sister in Panipat and was engaged in making music videos. In the complaint, Neha said her sister had gone for a shoot but never returned. The family searched for her but she was untraceable.
The police said that as per preliminary investigation, the accused, Sunil, and the model, Sheetal, had an altercation on Saturday night, which turned into a physical fight, with Sunil stabbing her several times before throwing her body into a canal.
Sunil’s car was later found submerged under mysterious circumstances in a canal in Panipat on Sunday. He was rescued from the vehicle, but Sheetal was not with him. Sheetal's body was recovered in the canal in Kharkhoda and the tattoos on hands and chest confirmed her identity. Police verified that the recovered body matched the details given in the missing person report filed in Panipat.
In the complaint, Neha has accused Sunil of orchestrating a cover-up exercise to mislead the police. The victim’s sister in a statement to the police said the accused knew her sister Sheetal from the time when they were working in a hotel in Karnal. Police teams from two districts Panipat and Sonipat, are now jointly conducting the investigation.