A 17-year-old national-level kabaddi player was allegedly murdered by a fast-food vendor over a debt of ₹3,600 in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district, police said on Monday. The accused, who allegedly killed the teenager near a police outpost and dumped her body in a nearby drain, was arrested after an intensive six-week investigation that eventually led police to Chandigarh.For representation only (HT File Photo)The victim, Anushka Pal, a resident of Chirodi village in the Daurala area of Meerut, had been missing since April 16. Her disappearance triggered an extensive search operation, but it was only after investigators tracked her last phone contact that the case took a dramatic turn.Police identified the accused as Shyam Dhanak (42), a fast-food vendor who operated a stall near Anushka’s rented accommodation in Shobhapur under the Kankerkhera police station area. Following his arrest, Dhanak allegedly confessed to the crime, leading police to recover Anushka’s remains from a drain located close to the scene of the murder.Promising athleteAccording to family members and teachers, Anushka was a talented kabaddi player with a bright future ahead of her. Around two years ago, she moved to Meerut city to access better training facilities and pursue her sporting ambitions. She lived in a rented room with her brother, Anmol, while continuing her education and participating in competitive tournaments.She had represented her state in state-level and national-level kabaddi competitions and was regarded as one of the village’s most promising athletes. Her family believed she had the potential to represent India internationally. Anushka was also an NCC cadet.Debt DisputePolice investigations revealed that Anushka was a regular customer at Dhanak’s fast-food stall, where she had accumulated an unpaid bill. She had also borrowed money from Shyam, taking her total outstanding dues to approximately ₹3,600.According to investigators, Dhanak had repeatedly demanded repayment. On the night of April 15, at around 11 pm, he allegedly called Anushka to a location about 200 metres from the Shobhapur police outpost to discuss the matter.During the meeting, Anushka reportedly requested additional time to repay the money. However, the conversation escalated into a heated argument. Police said Dhanak allegedly became enraged and struck the teenager on the head with a brick, killing her on the spot.In an attempt to conceal the crime, he allegedly dumped her body in a drain situated barely 50 metres from the police outpost before fleeing to Chandigarh.A family’s searchWhen Anushka failed to return home, her brother repeatedly tried contacting her, but her phone remained switched off. Family members searched extensively for days but found no trace of her.On April 28, the family filed a missing person complaint at Kankerkhera police station. Despite weeks of investigation, police initially failed to uncover significant leads.The breakthrough came after investigators examined Anushka’s call detail records and identified the last person she had spoken to before her disappearance. The trail led them to Chandigarh, where Dhanak was eventually detained.Although he initially denied involvement, police said sustained interrogation and technical evidence forced him to confess on May 31. Following his disclosure, officers recovered the victim’s remains and sent them for a post-mortem examination.Future star lostAnushka’s father, Nempal, said his daughter had recently won ₹60,000 in prize money at a kabaddi tournament in Ghaziabad.According to him, Anushka had told the family she gave the entire amount to help a friend whose mother was seriously ill.“Whenever Anushka returned home after winning medals, the entire village celebrated her success,” Nempal said. “We dreamed that one day she would represent India at the international level. Instead, she lost her life over a debt of just ₹3,600.”Her brother Anmol said Anushka aspired to join the Indian Army under the Agniveer recruitment scheme.“My sister did not have money and had borrowed it from Shyam to fill out the application form. She went missing shortly afterwards,” he said. “She was a brilliant athlete and always encouraged me to serve the nation by joining the Indian Army.”Linked to earlier murderDuring the investigation, police discovered that Dhanak had allegedly been involved in the murder of another man within the same police station jurisdiction. He had reportedly secured bail and was released from jail in 2024.After his release, he operated a fast-food stall on Rohta Road for nearly two years. The shop has remained closed since Anushka’s disappearance and the subsequent police investigation.Police statementMeerut SP Avinash Pandey said, “Three teams were constituted at the police station and district levels. They examined CCTV footage and electronic surveillance records. During the investigation, the activities of Shyam Dhanak, originally from Dehradun and currently residing in Chandigarh, appeared suspicious,” the officer said.He added that police teams visited Chandigarh twice before gathering sufficient technical evidence to take the accused into custody.“During interrogation, the accused admitted that Anushka frequently visited his fast-food stall. He stated that an argument broke out between them on the night of April 15, following which he murdered her and dumped the body in a drain,” the SP said.