Munish Sood
Mandi
In a chilling act that has shaken public conscience, a 19-year-old college student was brutally m*urdered in broad daylight in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district on Monday morning, raising serious concerns over public safety.
The victim, identified as Siya Guleria (19), daughter of Joginder Kumar and a resident of village Nain under Gopalpur in Sarkaghat subdivision, was on her way to attend classes at Degree College Sarkaghat when she was attacked and k*illed.
According to police and initial investigation reports, the incident occurred around 9:30 am when Siya had left her home and was heading towards Gopalpur bus stop, where a friend was waiting for her. At a distance of nearly one kilometre from her house, she was intercepted by a hooded man who had concealed his identity.
The attacker, armed with a sharp-edged agricultural weapon (sickle), first struck her on the arm, causing her to fall. He then inflicted a fatal blow to her neck, k*illing her on the spot before fleeing the scene. The brutality of the attack, carried out in daylight, has left the entire region in shock and fear.
The accused has been identified as Rishu Patial (32), son of Kamlu, a resident of village Thiro under Gopalpur in Sarkaghat tehsil. His ancestral roots are reported to be near Dodra Rakhoh, and he had been living at his maternal home in Thiro for several years. Preliminary inputs also indicate that the accused was allegedly addicted to substance abuse.
Following the incident, local residents alerted the police, after which teams rushed to the spot and took the body into custody. Senior officers, including the SP and ASP, immediately reached Sarkaghat to oversee the investigation.
In a swift and coordinated operation, the police, with active support from local residents, launched a manhunt and tracked the accused to the forests of Fatehpur near Sarkaghat. He was apprehended within hours of the crime. Sources indicate that villagers, who were part of the search efforts, confronted and overpowered the suspect, and he was reportedly beaten before being handed over to the police.
DSP Sanjeev Sood confirmed the arrest, stating that the accused was captured due to prompt police action and effective coordination on the ground.
The shocking incident has triggered widespread outrage and grief across the region, with residents questioning the sense of security, particularly for young women. Police are currently interrogating the accused to ascertain the motive behind the crime and to determine whether there was any prior connection between him and the victim.
Further legal proceedings are underway.
