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Mumbai crime branch policemen walk with arrested suspects Amit Kumar Jaiswal (2nd R) and Preeti Surin (2nd L, background), accused in the murder of Indian actress Meenakshi Thapa, at a residence in Allahabad on April 18, 2012. The beheaded body of a model and Bollywood actress was recovered from the sewage tank of a residence, a report said. Two suspects have been detained by police for questioning. Image Credit: AFP

Mumbai: Police are still looking for the severed head of aspiring Bollywood actress Meenakshi Thapa, who was gruesomely murdered last month in Gorakhpur in north India.

The 26-year-old actress was allegedly kidnapped by the suspects identified as Preeti Surin and her lover Amit Jaiswal for a ransom of Rs1,500,000, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The pair reportedly warned the actress’ mother that they would force her to take part in pornographic films if their demands were not met.

Extortion

Thapa’s mother is believed to have paid Rs60,000 but the actress was allegedly strangled and decapitated despite ransom payment.

Her torso was dumped in a tank and her head put in a bag and then thrown out of a bus on the road to Mumbai, the UK daily reported.

Thapa is alleged to have met the pair on the set of Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming film Heroine in which she had a small role.

Confession

Jaiswal and Surin were later caught in possession of Thapa's mobile phone SIM card and confessed to the murder. According to India Today, the actress’ torso was recovered from the septic tank of Surin's house in Allahabad on April 18.

"They confessed to the crime, but couldn't tell us exactly where they threw away the head during their journey from Allahabad to Mumbai," a police officer told the UK’s Daily Mail.

Thapa made her Bollywood debut in 2011 with a little known psychological thriller 404 Error Not Found.