According to the police, BJP leader Shamo Devi, a resident of village Chhijarsi of Pilkhua had left for Hapur yesterday at around 1.30 p.m. When she did not get home, her husband Pramod got together neighbours and started a search operation.

Pramod told the police that on his way back to their house he found a Maruti car (UP 15 E 3212) abandoned by the roadside near Bharti School.

He found his wife's body in the boot of the car. He later named three of the accused, but the police were not able to arrest anyone.

In other incidents, Brijender Singh, guard of the local telephone exchange, was shot dead in Noida on his way home in the night. The police have also recovered a body from a well in Modinagar.