Manisha had gone missing on August 11 after leaving her school, reportedly to seek admission details at a nursing college. Her body was discovered two days later, on August 13, in a field in Bhiwani.
Internet suspension withdrawn after protests
Public outrage over the incident forced the Haryana government to suspend mobile internet, SMS and dongle services in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri for 48 hours starting Tuesday morning. On Thursday, the suspension was extended for another 24 hours in Bhiwani district but lifted by evening after a fresh review.
An official order from Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra confirmed the withdrawal, directing immediate restoration of all services.
CBI to investigate case after family’s demand
On Wednesday (August 20), Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced that the case would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), acting on the family’s demand. The decision came after days of protests in the district, with villagers and political leaders pressing for an impartial probe.
Before the cremation, a third post-mortem was conducted at AIIMS, Delhi, following earlier examinations at Bhiwani Civil Hospital and PGIMS, Rohtak. The body returned to Bhiwani late Wednesday evening under tight security.
Protests and political reactions
Villagers had staged a dharna demanding a CBI probe and an autopsy at AIIMS, which was accepted, leading to the suspension of the protest. Earlier, police had suggested that Manisha died by suicide after consuming poison, citing the recovery of a purported suicide note. However, her father strongly rejected this claim, insisting that his daughter “could never commit suicide” and vowed to fight for justice.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, seized on the case to criticise the BJP-led state government, alleging law and order collapse. Veteran leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda accused the administration and the police of negligence and called attempts to portray the case as a suicide “irresponsible and unfortunate.”
The teenager’s death continues to dominate political and public discourse in Haryana, with unresolved questions over the nature of her death. With the case now formally handed over, the CBI probe is expected to bring clarity, though tensions remain high in Bhiwani as residents await answers.
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