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Warden's Death Reclassified: Murder Staged as Suicide
30 Jul
Summary
- Warden found hanging in 2021, initially ruled suicide.
- New probe reveals strangulation before body was hung.
- Financial dispute over Rs 15 lakh land deal sparked murder.
More than five years after Rinku Kumari, a warden at a Kasturba Gandhi Residential School, was found hanging on campus and her death was initially treated as suicide, a Bihar Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) has determined she was murdered.
The SIT, acting on a fresh probe ordered by the Patna High Court, concluded that the crime was staged to appear as a suicide. Evidence suggests Kumari was strangled before her body was hung, a finding that overturned the original investigation's closure report.
Two arrests have been made: the school's caretaker, Ajit Kumar alias Bablu, and the deceased's neighbour, Kaushal Kumar. The reinvestigation examined extensive evidence, including forensic reports and financial transactions, uncovering a dispute over a failed land deal.
Kumari had allegedly paid Rs 15 lakh to an accused and was seeking its return, providing a potential motive for the murder. The SIT noted serious oversights in the initial inquiry, which missed crucial homicide indicators. Further arrests may occur as the investigation continues.
