Woman goes missing but found murdered in Dharwad

A 21-year-old woman was found murdered on the outskirts of Dharwad on Wednesday.

The woman identified as Zakia Mulla was a resident of Gandhi Chowk in Dharwad.

Zakia, who completed her para medical course recently, left her house on Tuesday at 4.30 p.m. on some work pertaining to applying for a job.

However, when she did not return till late in the evening, her anxious parents approached the Dharwad Town Police.

As Mansur Road was shown as the last known location of her mobile phone, the family members and the police went on a search in the location till late night on Tuesday without any avail.

But when they returned to the location again on Wednesday morning, they found the body in the vicinity and also, her cell phone.

There was some confusion over police jurisdiction of the place where the body was found and after it was resolved, the Dharwad Rural Police took up investigation. A dog squad was also pressed into service.

Both Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar and Dharwad district Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya visited the spot.

Gunjan Arya told presspersons that prima facie strangulation appeared to be the cause of death. He said that they have begun investigation and assured the woman’s family members of bringing the guilty to book at the earliest.

Meanwhile, one of the family members told presspersons that Zakia messaged them saying that she will send her location but did not do so. After waiting for long, they then approached the police, he said.