Missing Woman Returns Home After 18 Months
In a shocking twist, a 35-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh, India who was believed to be murdered in 2023, returned home alive on 11 March 2025.
Lalita Bai, a resident of Navali village in Mandsaur district, had gone missing in September 2023 from the Gandhi Sagar area.
Months after her disappearance, police in Thandla, Jhabua district, informed her family that a woman’s body had been found with severe head injuries.
According to Hindustan Times, Lalita’s family identified the body based on a tattoo on the hand and a black thread tied around the leg: both markings they believed matched Lalita’s.
Convinced it was her, they conducted her last rites.
A ‘murder’ case was filed, and four men were arrested on allegations of ‘luring her away’. However, nearly 18 months later, Lalita walked into the Gandhi Sagar police station, very much alive.
How She Disappeared and What Happened
Speaking to police, Lalita shared that she had left home voluntarily with a man named Shahrukh.
They traveled to Bhanpura, where, unknown to her, she was allegedly ‘sold’ to another man also named Shahrukh, for ₹5 lakh (approx. S$7,674).
She Was Allegedly Sold and Kept in Kota
Lalita told authorities that after being ‘sold’, she was taken to Kota, Rajasthan, where she lived for about 18 months with the second man. She said she waited for the right moment and eventually managed to escape.
Lalita said she did not have a mobile phone, which left her unable to contact her family during the time she was missing.
Upon her return, her father brought her to the local police station, where she provided her identity card and Voter ID as proof of identity.
Her neighbors and family members also confirmed she was indeed the same woman believed to have died.
Her return came as an emotional moment for her family, especially her two children, who were reportedly overjoyed to see their mother again, India Today reported.
What Happens to the Four Men Now?
The four men arrested for Lalita’s supposed murder identified as Shahrukh, Imran, Sonu, and Ejaz remain in jail. With Lalita’s unexpected return, their legal situation is now under review and further steps will be taken by Thandla police.
Authorities said the court has asked for detailed information.
“We will first conduct a medical examination and DNA test of the woman, and also record afresh the statements of witnesses,” police said.
Investigations are ongoing, and authorities will need to determine the next course of action regarding the men who were imprisoned for a crime that may not have occurred.
More from Wake Up Singapore:-
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