Police arrest Pradip Taye for murder of Jeena Baishya

Body discovered in sack near Ganesh Mandir

Residents alerted authorities after noticing legs protruding from the sack.

A team from the Dispur Police and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Anurag Sharma visited the crime scene on November 7. At the time of this site visit, the victim remained unidentified.

Authorities seize weapon and vehicle used in crime

Authorities seized the commercial passenger-carrying minivan used to abduct the victim and the machete allegedly used to commit the murder.

Family disputes cited as motive for killing

Pradip Taye and Jeena Baishya were involved in a relationship for approximately 10 years. Pratidintime reported that this was an extramarital relationship which caused repeated conflicts between their families.

IndiaTodayNE reported that investigators identified the murder as being driven by these ongoing disputes between the families regarding the relationship. SentinelAssam reported that Taye allegedly wanted to end the relationship because it caused repeated clashes between their respective families.

Separately, an initiative aims to provide alternative income opportunities for households near the park to reduce their reliance on natural resources like biomass, firewood, fodder, and fishing, which threaten the park's fragile ecosystem.

Timeline of events leading to the murder

On 1 November, Taye took Baishya for a drive in his commercial passenger minivan.

On the day of the murder, Taye purchased a new machete in the Beltola area. He concealed the weapon inside his vehicle prior to the killing.

At approximately 8 pm, he killed her with the machete inside the vehicle and dumped her body in a nearby ditch.

Absence of mobile phone hinders digital investigation

The victim was not carrying her mobile phone during the incident, which left no digital trail for investigators to follow. Investigators reported that the absence of the device hindered the initial investigation by limiting the digital evidence available to track her movements.

Victim identified as resident of Koinadhara

Pradip Taye, a driver originally from Dhemaji, worked in Khanapara and lived as a tenant in the same building as the victim.

Separately, a 10-day training program titled “Professional Fabric Care and Colour Restoration for Manipuri Traditional Wear” was conducted at Keibul Mayai Leikai in the Bishnupur district of Manipur.

All 22 participants were awarded certificates during the valedictory ceremony. The Wildlife Institute of India stated, “By fostering community-led and conservation-compatible livelihoods, WII continues to strengthen the vital bond between local well-being and the long-term protection of Keibul Lamjao National Park.”