The victim's father, Janakraj, a resident of Chautada village in Una district of Himachal Pradesh, had filed a complainant alleging that his 25-year-old daughter Rabeena was being harassed by her husband over dowry. According to the complaint, the couple were married for over past one-and-half year and had a three-month-old daughter. Janakraj alleged that he had given dowry to his daughter as per his status at the time of her marriage, but it did not meet her in-law's expectations and they subjected her to physical and mental harassment. He said at times, Rabeena complained about this to her parents, over which he also met Pawan's family.

Janakraj said on November 8 at about 8 a.m., Pawan's family informed him that Rabeena had been missing from their house. He immediately rushed Mianpur village but nobody gave him the exact information. A member of Pawan's family told him that Rabeena had drowned in a canal and her body had not been recovered so far. He the filed a complaint with the police holding the in-laws responsible for his daughter's death.

The SHO added that though the body had not been recovered till date, a pair of her chappals had been found from near the bank of Bhakra canal, where she was suspected to have drowned. No arrest had been made in this connection, but investigations are in progress, the SHO said.