MANDI: A 19-year-old college student was hacked to death in broad daylight in Gopalpur area of Sarkaghat subdivision in Mandi district on Monday, allegedly by a man from her village, triggering outrage among locals.The victim, Sia Guleria, was on her way to college in Sarkaghat around 9am when she was attacked. Police said she was struck repeatedly on the head, neck and hands with a sharp-edged weapon, leading to her death on the spot. The accused fled and hid in a nearby forest.Locals alerted police, following which teams led by the SHO and DSP reached the spot. Mandi SP Vinod Kumar also arrived with a forensic team. As news spread, angry residents joined the search for the accused.Villagers from Gopalpur panchayat tracked down the accused, identified as 36-year-old Vikas from the same village, hiding near a wheat field in a forest area. He was thrashed by the crowd before being handed over to police.Mandi SP Vinod Kumar said the accused had been arrested and a murder case registered at Sarkaghat police station. “The police teams have collected the evidence from the crime scene and the accused is being questioned. The body has been sent to the Medical College and Hospital in Nerchowk for a postmortem. We would soon recover the weapon used in the crime and produce the accused before a local court in the coming days,” he said.“The motive behind the murder is still not clear,” added the SP.According to police sources, prima facie, it appeared that the accused killed her after she rejected his advances. Many locals alleged he was a drug addict.Condemning the incident, Himachal Pradesh governor Kavinder Gupta termed the killing “heinous, inhuman and deeply disturbing”, and said such acts have no place in a civilized society. He spoke to officiating DGP Ashok Tiwari, sought a detailed report, and directed police to take swift and stringent action to ensure justice at the earliest.Expressing condolences to the family, the governor stressed the need for stronger measures to ensure safety, particularly of women.In a statement, Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Women chairperson Vidya Negi sought a speedy probe and strict action.Meanwhile, Sarkaghat BJP MLA Dalip Thakur blamed the state government over rising drug abuse. “There is an atmosphere of fear in the area as this incident is unprecedented. The govt has failed to curb the problem of drugs. This incident shows no one is safe. It’s a total breakdown of law and order,” he said.
