INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
HYDERABAD: In a curious case that had investigators racking their brains for half a decade, Telangana's women safety wing and anti-human
trafficking unit have cracked the mystery of a woman who disappeared, erased her digital footprint and embarked on a new life under a
completely different identity.This gripping tale unfolded when a 36-year-old married woman, hailing from an affluent family, mysteriously
vanished from city's Humayunnagar on June 29, 2018
She evaded detection by meticulously erasing all traces of her digital and personal identity, including her religious affiliation
She even married another man and altered her physical appearance while embarking on a new life working with an NGO in Maharashtra.After her
father filed a habeas corpus petition in the Telangana high court, her disappearance was initially linked to a dispute with her husband
After years of pursuit, investigators finally got a break when they discovered she had updated her Aadhaar card
Police successfully tracked her to Goa where she was found leading a new life, utilising facial recognition and digital investigation
Additional director general of police, women safety wing, Shikha Goel, told TOI, "While we have traced several missing persons using
digital technology, this case stands out
Initially, we suspected the family members due to ongoing disputes, but it turned out to be a case of erasing one's digital and personal
identity to start afresh."The woman's disappearance five years ago involved leaving her mobile phone at home without informing her family
members locking them inside
It was not her first disappearance, as she had gone missing twice in 2014 and 2015 when she was involved in disputes with her husband
However, she had returned home
In 2018, her father filed a dowry harassment complaint, alleging that she had gone missing due to harassment by her husband, leading to a
case being registered.The investigation began with an analysis of CCTV footage which revealed that she had voluntarily left her home
However, police trail went cold
In 2019, her father filed a writ petition in HC, which directed police to seek assistance from women safety wing and anti-human trafficking
unit.Sub-inspector of women safety wing P Harish said they got leads from her friends who disclosed that she had used another mobile phone
Her voice recording with the cab company and her initial trip to Pune provided leads
However, the investigation hit a roadblock after she sold her phone and the pandemic further compounded the probe.A breakthrough finally
came when investigators found that her Aadhaar card had been updated last month
The update included a change from Telugu to Marathi and alterations to her religion and husband's name
This led to the discovery of her bank account details, followed by digital investigation that uncovered her new identity on social media.A
cop said: "Using Aadhaar update details, we found her bank account information
Through digital investigative tools, we traced her social media accounts under her new name
Her Instagram posts indicated she was in Goa
She is involved in social work
We have established her identity, using facial recognition technology."Cops apprehended her from Goa, presenting her before the court
During her court appearance, she expressed her desire to be on her own, a request that the court granted
Harish added, "Her new husband only discovered her true identity when we arrived."
