The Mumbai police team on Friday continued its search for the head of the slain small-time actress Meenakshi Thapa in Uttar Pradesh.

It was a dream gone horribly wrong. Her aspirations to be a Bollywood actress cost her life. Twenty-six-year-old Meenakshi Thapa was brutally murdered by her acquaintances who she had befriended during her brief stint in the film industry. A team of Mumbai Police, aided by Allahabad counterparts, recently traced the headless torso of the budding actress to a septic tank in Allahabad. She was abducted on March 30. The accused, Amit Jaiswal and Preti Sarin, have allegedly confessed to killing her lured by money. A year ago when Meenakshi, a dancer by profession, had providentially landed a role in ’404′, a movie being shot in her home town, she seemed to be the chosen one. She auditioned for a bit role but was ecstatic to be selected for an extended role. The movie was released some months ago to decent reviews. “It is difficult to believe that she is no more and that her dreams cost her life. The last time we had crossed paths, she said that she would participate in the Miss Uttarakhand contest later this year. But that was not to be,” says Dilip Sindhi, who organises the annual pageant.

A graduate of MKP PG College, Meenakshi did her diploma in aviation from Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training. Though she trained to be an airhostess, it was dance that fascinated Meenakshi, who was adept at semi-clas.