Ex-model Divya Pahuja’s body found in Haryana’s Bhakra canal: Police

The family members of Pahuja have identified the body with the help of the two tattoos – one on her shoulder and another on her lower back, police said

Updated on: Jan 13, 2024, 12:45:07 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram: Gurugram police on Saturday said they found the body of Divya Pahuja – an ex-model who was shot dead at a city hotel last week – from the Bhakra canal near Fatehabad in Haryana.

The ex model’s body was dumped in Bhakra canal, said police (Video screengrab)

Vijay Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP crime), said that their two teams were deployed on the stretch and the body travelled around 150 kilometres and was found in Bhakra canal near Fatehabad.

The body was thrown on January 3, a day after she was killed, Singh said. Police based their information on disclosures made by Balraj Gill, one of the men who allegedly disposed of her body.

Following the information received, a search operation was launched on Friday with 42 divers and the body was found 10.30am, the DCP said.

Police said that the body had not decomposed due to cold and it would be sent for postmortem at the Fatehabad Civil Hospital later in the day.

The family members of Pahuja have identified the body with the help of the two tattoos – one on her shoulder and another on her lower back, police said.

Naina Pahuja, sister of the deceased said that they were on their way to reach the spot and had received pictures from the police and identified the body. “We will try to cremate the body today after the postmortem. We will bring her body to Gurugram,” she said.

Police said they had formed six teams who were conducting search operations in a 200-kilometre area near Patiala.

The development came a day after Gill was apprehended at the Kolkata airport while flying to New Delhi. A Gurugram police team on Friday obtained his transit remand from a Kolkata court, and the police and the suspect reached Gurugram after he was taken on a three-day transit remand.

Pahuja, 27, an accused in the alleged fake encounter of dreaded gangster Sandeep Gadoli, was out on bail after spending seven years in prison when she was killed on January 2. Police said she was allegedly blackmailing Abhijeet Singh, a hotel owner in the city, who purportedly shot her dead at one of his properties. Police arrested Abhijeet and three others in connection with the case.

However, two of his associates — Gill and Ravi Bandra — fled Gurugram with the body in a blue BMW sedan. Police found the vehicle from Patiala on January 4.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More