New lead in Jesna missing case: Woman claims to have seen her at Kottayam lodge

Kochi: Six years after the disappearance of Kerala student Jesna Maria James, a woman has come forward claiming she saw a girl resembling Jesna at a lodge in Mundakayam in Kottayam. The woman, who worked at the lodge, also reported seeing a boy with the girl.

The woman disclosed this information to the Kerala Police Crime Branch during the investigation. She mentioned that after recognizing Jesna's photo in the newspaper, she inquired about this with the lodge owner, who dismissed her concerns and demanded to stay silent. 

"I saw her photo on the newspaper and realised that it was the girl I saw at the lodge. Then I inquired the same with the lodge owner Biju. However, he dismissed my doubts and asked me to remain silent and not to speak about it. He also threatened me. However, I informed the Crime Branch," she told Mathrubhumi News. 

According to the woman, the boy had told her they were heading to Ernakulam for an examination.

Jesna, a second-year BCom student, went missing on March 22, 2018 while on way to her aunt's house at Mundakkayam in Kottayam.