Bijnor, August 27: In a surprising turn of events, a 25-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district, who was initially believed to have fallen victim to a leopard attack, has been found safe and sound in Chandigarh. Lalit Kumar, who recently got married, orchestrated an elaborate ruse to fake his own death in order to escape domestic strife. His plan was eventually unravelled when his mobile phone's SIM card inadvertently revealed his whereabouts.

According to the Times of India report, the incident unfolded on August 17 when Kumar mysteriously disappeared from a forest near the Begumpur Shadi village, a region known to be frequented by leopards. Only his motorcycle, mobile phone, and footwear were discovered about 2 kilometres away from the village, deepening the mystery. The presence of two SIM cards in the phone raised suspicions among the locals. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Teacher in Muzaffarnagar Encourages Students To Thrash Muslim Classmates, Probe Launched After Video Goes Viral.

It was later revealed that Kumar had left for the fields but vanished intentionally. A combined effort by local police and the forest department conducted extensive search operations that failed. Concerned for his well-being, his family registered a missing complaint at the Kotwali Dehat police station. Subsequent investigations revealed that Kumar had engaged in a dispute with his family, prompting him to stage his disappearance to resemble a leopard attack. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Man Hires Contract Killer for Rs 2.5 Lakhs To Eliminate Father Over Property Share Dispute in Bulandshahr; Accused Arrested.

He discreetly removed one SIM card from his mobile phone and made his way to Chandigarh, where he had friends working in a factory. The clever ploy was foiled when he inserted his SIM card into a friend's mobile device, inadvertently disclosing his location. On Friday, August 25, police successfully traced and apprehended Kumar, reuniting him with his family in Bijnor.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2023 12:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).