Who Was Manisha? Protest Erupts In Haryana After Murder Of 19-Year-Old Teacher

Last Updated:August 18, 2025, 20:11 IST

The family has refused to perform her last rites until the police arrest the person or persons responsible for her killing

Manisha, a 19-year-old playschool teacher from Singhani village in Haryana’s Bhiwani district, was found murdered on August 13. (Image via X)

A wave of public anger and political criticism has erupted in Haryana following the brutal murder of 19-year-old Manisha, a playschool teacher from Singhani village in Bhiwani district.

The young woman was found dead in a field with her throat slit on August 13, two days after she went missing.

Manisha had left home on August 11 to visit a nearby nursing college to enquire about admission. When she failed to return, her family approached the police, but they allege the officers refused to take their complaint seriously, suggesting she might have run away and would return on her own.

The family has refused to perform her last rites until the police arrest the person or persons responsible for her killing.

Protests & Demands For Justice

On Sunday, hundreds of villagers blocked the Delhi-Pilani road demanding immediate action. A mahapanchayat was also held near Dhigawa Mandi, where community leaders and residents demanded justice for Manisha.

A police officer in Bhiwani confirmed that six investigation teams had been formed. Manisha’s post-mortem was conducted at PGIMS hospital in Rohtak, but the cause of death will be confirmed only after the forensic viscera report is completed.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the Haryana Director General of Police.

Political Reactions

The incident has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties, who accused the BJP-led Haryana government of failing to protect women and maintain law and order.

Congress leader Kumari Selja called the murder “a horrifying example of police negligence." She said police failed to act when Manisha’s family first approached them. “Had the police acted in time, perhaps Manisha would have been alive today," she said.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala called the murder a “black spot" on the government and accused the ruling party of only making hollow promises under slogans like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’.

AAP spokesperson Anurag Dhanda said the government has become a “mute spectator" as crimes against women rise. He claimed over 4,100 people have gone missing in Haryana in the first half of 2025 alone, with more than 1,000 kidnapping cases reported.

Haryana Govt Action

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, speaking in Kurukshetra on Sunday, said Manisha was “like a daughter" and promised that all those involved in her murder won’t be spared. He has ordered the transfer of Bhiwani’s superintendent of police and suspended five police personnel over the matter.

However, Selja has said these steps are not enough. “The believes that the suspension of a few police personnel and the transfer of the SP is nothing but eyewash. The real culprits are still roaming free," the Congress said.

“Today, the entire state is asking: Are Haryana’s daughters safe? The BJP government must answer this question," she added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...Read More

The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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Haryana, India, India

First Published:

August 18, 2025, 20:09 IST

News india Who Was Manisha? Protest Erupts In Haryana After Murder Of 19-Year-Old Teacher

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