Kerala

Kerala girl’s mysterious death in Manali: Police suspect she may have died in snowfall

Written by : TNM Staff

Mystery surrounding the disappearance of an event management professional from Thrissur, who was subsequently found dead under suspicious circumstances, continues.

Twenty-two-year-old Shifa went missing from Manali on January 7, and was later found dead on the banks of Beas river at Bahang village on January 29.

The body was found in the older Manali region where tourists rarely go.

Since the body was in a decayed condition, police were not able to identify her, till they retrieved her passport and clothes on February 11 from near the river.

Manali police also informed Thrissur Nedumpuzha police on Saturday. 
Nedumpuzha station house officer S Shaji told The News Minute that the family had not registered a missing complaint and that the girl travelled across India as part of her job.

“She had contacted the family on January 7 and had informed that she would reach home by January 15,” the officer said.

Shifa’s last Facebook post was on December 25, which says, ‘Merry Christmas from Himachal’.

The Times of India report from Manali says that Shifa had trekked to Chanderkhani pass and Malana village some time before Diwali and had spent a night in a cave with her friends during the trip.

The report says that Manali police doubt that Shifa might have died on January 7 or 8, when Manali received heavy snowfall and the body could have remained invisible inside the snow for many days.

By January 29, till her body was found, Manali had seen a number of snowfalls, which blocked traffic and disrupted public life for many days.

Police have started an investigation, and they will officially confirm Shifa’s identity through DNA testing once her family reaches Manali from Kerala, the report says.

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