Noord-Holland recreational area combed in final search for missing student's body

This week, the police will excavate and comb a large site in the recreational area of De Hulk near Scharwoude in a final attempt to find the body of missing Amsterdam student Sumanta Bansi (22). The trial against Manodj B. (41), the man suspected of stabbing Bansi to death in February 2018, will start soon. Finding her body will make the Public Prosecution Service's case against B. much stronger, De Telegraaf reports.

The police strongly suspect that Manodj B. stabbed Bansi to death between 18 and 19 February 2018 and buried her body in De Hulk. Investigators based their suspicion on, among other things, location data from B.'s phone, requested from Google. They also tapped a conversation B. had with his brother, saying that he stabbed Bansi to death and discussing chemicals he stole from work to dissolve her body. The police previously searched in the area but did not find anything.

Bansi was living with the B. family in Hoorn while she studied in Amsterdam. According to the Dutch authorities, she twice got pregnant with B.'s child. The first time, the family convinced her to get an abortion. But the second time, she refused. The investigators assume B. murdered Bansi to save his family's honor. Manodj B.'s wife, father, and brother are also suspects in her murder.

Sumanta's family is happy with the new search but keeps their expectations low, their lawyer Priya Soekhai said to De Telegraaf. "It is always a bit painful because of the hope and the disappointment that always followed, at least until now. They are now having an extra hard time. Sumanta should have celebrated her 26th birthday on 1 October. But of course, we all hope that this time will be successful."