Chamoli Police crack blind murder case, arrest accused 45 days later
Synopsis
A murder that nearly vanished into a missing-persons file has been solved. Chamoli Police arrested Devendra Singh 45 days after Rajendra Singh's bound body was found in a ravine — cracking a case with no initial motive, no suspects, and no witnesses, using forensic evidence and an SIT inquiry.
Key Takeaways
Chamoli Police arrested Devendra Singh of Chaudadhar village on 1 July for the alleged murder of Rajendra Singh .
Rajendra Singh went missing on 18 May ; his body was found in a ravine near Devpuril village on 23 May , with both legs and one arm bound with rope.
The case was registered under Section 103(1)/238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after forensic evidence — including the victim's mobile phone, slippers, and water bottle — was recovered.
An SIT led by a Deputy SP was constituted to investigate the 'blind murder', which had no known motive or suspect at the outset.
The accused has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody ; motive and possible co-accused are still under investigation.
Chamoli Police in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, 1 July cracked a 'blind murder' case involving local resident Rajendra Singh, arresting the prime suspect nearly 45 days after the crime — a case that had initially been logged as a missing persons complaint. The breakthrough came after sustained forensic analysis and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry.
How the Case Began
Rajendra Singh, a resident of Devpuri village, left home for work on 18 May. Within hours, his mobile phone was switched off and he became unreachable, sending his family into panic. A missing complaint was filed with Gairsain Police, which launched searches with a dog squad — but found no leads.
On 23 May, approximately a week later, locals spotted a dead body in a ravine near Devpuril village. The deceased was identified as the missing Rajendra Singh. The condition of the body — both legs and one arm bound with rope — pointed unmistakably to foul play.
Forensic Evidence Turns the Case
A forensic team inspected the crime scene and recovered key items: Singh's mobile phone, slippers, and water bottle. Based on scientific evidence gathered at the site, police converted the missing complaint into a murder case, registered under Section 103(1)/238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The case was classified as a 'blind murder' — police terminology for a homicide with no apparent motive, no known enmity, and no immediate suspects. This made the investigation significantly more complex than a typical case.
SIT Constituted, Suspect Zeroed In
Given the gravity and complexity of the case, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under a Deputy Superintendent of Police. The SIT re-examined the crime scene, studied technical and forensic evidence, and followed leads developed by the dog squad during the initial search.
Through sustained interrogation of persons of interest, investigators eventually zeroed in on Devendra Singh, a resident of Chaudadhar village, as the alleged perpetrator. He was arrested on Wednesday.
Accused Sent to Judicial Custody
On the day of the arrest, Devendra Singh was produced before a court, which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody. Investigators are expected to interrogate him further to establish the motive behind the killing and determine whether any other individuals were involved.
Details about the sequence of events leading up to the murder and the precise motive remain unclear, according to officials. The motive is yet to emerge from interrogation.
Significance of the Arrest
The case had risked being filed away as an unresolved missing persons case, given the near-total absence of leads at the outset. The successful resolution — combining dog-squad tracking, forensic science, and SIT-led interrogation — underscores the investigative capacity of district-level police units. The arrest is expected to bring closure to Singh's family, who had been in distress since his disappearance on 18 May. Investigations are ongoing.
Point of View
Especially in remote hill districts where investigative resources are stretched. The 45-day resolution is creditable, but the detail that deserves scrutiny is the initial week-long gap between Singh's disappearance and the discovery of his body, during which the dog-squad search yielded nothing. The eventual breakthrough came from forensic evidence, not eyewitnesses — a pattern increasingly common in rural crime investigations. The motive remains unknown, which means the case is far from fully resolved even with an arrest in hand.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'blind murder' case in police terminology?
A 'blind murder' refers to a homicide where police have no immediate leads — no known motive, no named suspects, and no eyewitness accounts. The Chamoli case involving Rajendra Singh was classified as such because there was no information about personal enmity or accusations against anyone at the time the body was discovered.
Who was arrested in the Chamoli blind murder case?
Devendra Singh , a resident of Chaudadhar village in Chamoli district, was arrested on 1 July for the alleged murder of Rajendra Singh . He was produced before a court the same day and remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
How was the murder discovered?
Rajendra Singh went missing on 18 May after leaving home for work. On 23 May , locals found a body in a ravine near Devpuril village . The deceased was identified as Singh; his legs and one arm were found bound with rope, prompting police to register a murder case.
What evidence helped crack the case?
Forensic teams recovered Singh's mobile phone, slippers, and water bottle from the crime scene. Technical analysis of this evidence, combined with leads developed by a dog squad and sustained interrogation by an SIT, led investigators to the suspect.
What happens next in the investigation?
Devendra Singh is in 14-day judicial custody and will be interrogated to establish the motive for the killing and determine whether any co-accused were involved. The sequence of events leading to the murder has not yet been officially disclosed.
