Model’s body recovered, murder suspected; ex-friend in custody

In a shocking incident, the body of a 24-year-old Haryanvi model, Sheetal — also known by her screen name Simmi — was recovered from a canal in Kharkhoda, Sonepat district, on Monday morning. Police said the body bore multiple injuries inflicted by a sharp-edged weapon, suggesting foul play.

Sheetal, known for her appearances in regional Haryanvi music videos, had left her home in Panipat on Saturday for a video shoot in Ahar village. However, she never returned. Her sister, Neha, filed a missing person complaint at Matlauda police station late that night after failing to reach her.

Neha informed police that Sheetal had called her shortly before she went missing. “She said that a man named Sunil, her former friend, had assaulted her and was trying to forcibly take her with him. The call ended abruptly,” said DSP Satish Vats.

Sunil’s car was later found submerged under suspicious circumstances in a canal in Panipat on Sunday. He was rescued from the vehicle, but Sheetal was not with him. Neha has accused Sunil of orchestrating a cover-up and misleading investigators.

By Monday morning, a woman’s body was discovered in the canal in Kharkhoda. Tattoos on the hands and chest helped confirm the identity as that of Sheetal. The Sonepat police verified that the recovered body matched the missing person report filed in Panipat.

The two district police units — Panipat and Sonipat — are now conducting a joint investigation. Sheetal’s body has been sent to Khanpur Medical College for post-mortem.

According to Neha, Sunil, a resident of Israna, had known Sheetal from a hotel in Karnal where they had once worked together. “He had proposed marriage, but Sheetal rejected him after discovering that he was already married and had two children. Even after quitting the job and cutting ties with him, Sunil continued to harass her,” she alleged.

Police confirmed that Sheetal was herself married and had a five-month-old child, though she was separated from her husband.

Panipat police have since taken Sunil into custody. “Sunil has been taken into custody. The case is being investigated from all angles. He is changing his statements. We are verifying his statements. We are waiting for the post-mortem report for further investigation,” said Bhupender Singh, Superintendent of Police, Panipat.

Haryana Tribune