Missing Hyderabad woman erases own digital records, changes appearance & marries someone else

She was traced in Goa after 5 years.

The Telangana women's safety wing and anti-human trafficking unit have solved a mysterious case that had puzzled investigators for five years. A woman had vanished, wiped out her digital trail, and started a new life with a completely new identity.

The case emerged when a woman, aged 36 and married, disappeared from Humayunnagar in June 2018. She came from a wealthy family and managed to disappear without a trace by erasing all evidence of her identity, including her religious beliefs. She married someone else and change her appearance, starting a new life working with an NGO in Maharashtra as reported by Times of India.

"While we have traced several missing persons using digital technology, this case stands out, Shikha Goel, Additional director general of police, women safety wing told the publication.

"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."

Five years ago, the woman disappeared after leaving her mobile phone at house without informing her family. This was not the first time she had gone missing, as she was also involved in disputes with her husband and disappeared twice in 2014 and 2015.

In 2018, her husband was accused of dowry harassment by her father, stating that it caused her disappearance. A case was registered, and CCTV footage showed that she left on her own. The police investigation didn't lead anywhere.

In 2019, her father filed a writ petition in HC, which directed the police to enlist the help of women's safety and anti-human trafficking units.

The woman's friends disclosed she had another mobile phone to book a cab where her voice recordings with the cab company and her first trip to Pune provided leads, Sub-inspector of women safety wing P Harish said.

Investigators made a breakthrough discovery when they found out that her Aadhaar card had been recently updated.

"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," said a police officer.

"Her new husband only discovered her true identity when we arrived," Harish said.

The police arrested the women from Goa and presented her before the court. During the court appearance where she expressed her desire to stay on her own, the court granted the request.