Chandigarh: Amid rising public anger over the mysterious death of a 19-year-old teacher in Bhiwani district, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has announced that the case will be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a transparent and impartial inquiry.
The decision comes after widespread protests and demands from opposition parties and the victim’s family, who questioned the findings of the local police.
“Justice Will Be Done,” Says CM Saini
In a statement posted on X, CM Saini assured the victim’s family that the state was committed to a fair investigation. “The Haryana government and police are working with full seriousness and transparency to secure justice for our daughter Manisha. Based on the family’s demand, the case will be handed over to the CBI for an unbiased probe. I am personally monitoring the matter, and complete justice will be ensured,” he wrote.
The young teacher, Manisha, was discovered dead on August 13 in an agricultural field in Singhani village, Bhiwani. She had gone missing two days earlier after leaving school, reportedly to make inquiries about admission to a nearby nursing college.
Police Maintain It Was Suicide
The Bhiwani police have claimed that their preliminary findings indicate suicide. Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar stated that a note was recovered near her belongings, which included her Aadhaar card and other documents. Investigators also found evidence that she had purchased insecticide, later confirmed in the viscera report.
“There is a suicide note, confirmed poison traces in the body, and proof of her buying the insecticide,” SP Kumar said, adding that the post-mortem ruled out any sexual assault.
Family Rejects Suicide Theory
Despite the police version, the victim’s father, Sanjay, has refused to accept that his daughter took her own life. He alleged that authorities delayed filing an FIR and insisted that she was murdered. “The administration says my daughter committed suicide, but I know she could never do that. I want justice,” he told reporters, refusing to conduct her last rites until the accused were arrested.
Action Against Police Officials
Facing mounting criticism, the state government earlier removed Bhiwani SP Manbir Singh from his post and suspended five police personnel, including Loharu SHO Ashok Kumar and ASI Shakuntala, for alleged negligence in handling the case. A new SP, IPS officer Sumit Kumar, has since taken charge.
With the matter now moving to the CBI, the family and public await whether the central probe agency will uncover fresh details in a case that has already triggered widespread outrage across Haryana.
