Jharkhand: Woman among three held for killing Dumka-based parlour owner

DUMKA: Three persons have been arrested for the murder of a 35-year-old Dumka-based parlour owner, Manisha Devi. Her body was recovered from an abandoned stone quarry under Hansdiha police station area of the district on June 18.
Jarmundi SDPO Shivendra said Asha Devi, wife of Jai Prakash Mandal, of Jhalar village of Banka district of neighbouring Bihar hatched a conspiracy to kill Manisha.Asha wanted to get rid of Manisha for having an affair with her husband. She hired contract killers to murder Manisha with the help of her brother-in-law Pitambar Mandal and his friend Muntaj Ansari.
Speaking to TOI on Wednesday, the SDPO said Manisha had been in a close relation with Jai Prakash Mandal (40) for the last two years after divorcing her husband Vinod Kumar Singh of Rasikpur locality of the Dumka district. She owned and operated a parlour for women in Rasikpur. Mandal, though a resident of Bihar, had settled in Dumka several years ago.
"Although Manisha and Jai Prakash did not marry they used to live together in latter's home in Charkapathar village under Saraiyahaat police station of Dumka district. Jai Prakash also settled there with his wife Asha Devi" the SDPO stated, adding Manisha insisted Jai Prakash to marry her. After Asha Devi came to know this, she decided to get rid of her.
Asha Devi, the SDPO said, in a bid to get of Manisha took Pitambar Mandal of Jhalar village of Banka district who happens to be her brother in-law, and his friend Muntaj Ansari alias Lakhpatiya of Baniyara village under Hansdiha police station of the district, into confidence and paid ₹2 lakh to hire contract killers.
Police said Pitambar who was already known to Manisha took her to Masanjor Dam on a fun trip accompanied by his friend Muntaj Ansari on June 17 and killed her midway. while coming back, the two contract killers stopped the car and fired rounds of fire. "The accused then abandoned Manisha's body in a stone quarry and escaped" the SDPO stated, adding that the FIR in this connection was lodged by deceased's brother against unknown persons following the recovery of her dead body.
The SDPO further stated that Asha Devi and both the accomplices were arrested and confessed to having committed the crime with the help of two contact killers who are still being at large.
Police recovered the four-wheeler used in committing the crime.