Neha Ahlawat Murder Case: – It took 15 long years, but justice finally caught up with Neha Ahlawat’s killer. A local court in Chandigarh has convicted Monu Kumar, a taxi driver from Shahpur Colony, in the brutal murder of the 21-year-old woman whose blood-stained body was found near a taxi stand in Sector-38 West back in 2010. The court is expected to announce his sentence tomorrow.
A Night That Shattered a Family
On July 30, 2010, Neha left home around 6 pm to attend English-speaking classes in Sector-15. When she didn’t return by 9 pm, her father grew worried and called her friends. One friend said Neha hadn’t visited her house, while another said she had come briefly in the evening.
Hours later, the family received a chilling call—Neha’s scooter, stained with blood, was abandoned near Karan Taxi Stand. Rushing to the spot, they discovered her half-naked body lying in a pool of blood in the bushes. She was taken to the PGIMER, where doctors declared her brought dead.
The horrifying murder left the family and the city in shock, and for years, the case remained unsolved.
Cold Case Breakthrough
The investigation stalled for a decade, and the case was formally closed in 2020. The breakthrough came unexpectedly during the probe of another rape and murder case in 2022 in the same area. The victim, Mandeep, was also found in a forested spot, and police collected DNA samples from locals with criminal records.
One match stood out—Monu Kumar. His DNA matched the samples collected from Neha’s body as well. Police later claimed that Monu had confessed to murdering Neha, ending years of uncertainty for her family.
Conviction Brings Relief
Monu Kumar’s conviction is a rare moment of relief in a case that had haunted Chandigarh for over a decade. While nothing can undo the tragedy, the ruling ensures that the perpetrator faces the law, giving Neha’s family a sense of closure.
The court will announce the quantum of punishment tomorrow, finally concluding one of Chandigarh’s most high-profile cold cases.
Key Points
- Neha Ahlawat, 21, was murdered in July 2010; body found near Sector-38 West taxi stand.
- Case remained unsolved for 15 years; investigation closed in 2020.
- Monu Kumar, a taxi driver, arrested after another murder case in 2022.
- DNA evidence linked him to Neha’s murder; he reportedly confessed.
- Chandigarh court convicts Monu Kumar; sentencing tomorrow.
This case is a stark reminder of how forensic science and persistence in investigation can bring justice, even after many years. For Neha’s family, the conviction is not just a legal victory—it is the long-awaited closure to a nightmare that began on a quiet summer evening 15 years ago.