Bhubaneswar: The Odisha capital has witnessed three alleged murders in the last 24 hours. After rape-murder of a 4-year-old girl, stabbing death of a woman, another woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Punama gate area under Airfield police limits on Monday.
The deceased woman has been identified as Priyanka Mishra (30), who hailed from Kendrapada.
According to sources, Priyanka got married to Suraj Das of Arabinda Nagar here about two and a half years ago. Her family members alleged that she was being physically and mentally tortured for dowry by her in-laws, whom they also accused terminating her pregnancy. Her father-in-law Pradeep Das, however, attributed Priyanka’s alleged death by suicide to her alleged relationship with other males.
Sister of the deceased woman, Bini, told the media that she had told her about Suraj’s illicit affairs. “He would close the room and thrash her in an inebriated state while being egged by his parents. They informed us about her death around 6.30 pm. It is impossible to believe that she hanged herself with a stole like this. The bed was also nearby and there are no marks on her neck. They are all lying. We suspect that they brutally thrashed her after locking her up in a room and then smothered her to death with a pillow,” she alleged.
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She also named Pradeep Das, Majulata Das and her friend Santosh Lenka as the culprits.
Additional DCP, Prakash Chandra Pal, said that Priyanka was received dead at Capital Hospital here. “We have registered a case under Section 302 (murder) of IPC on the basis of a complaint lodged by her family and detained her husband for questioning. There was dispute between the couple,” he added.
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On the alleged rape-murder of the minor girl, Pal said that it is too early to say that the victim was sexually assaulted. “Three teams have been formed to trace the accused, who is the neighbour and a distant relative, and he will be nabbed soon. “A case has been registered under Section 302 of the IPC and investigation is on from all angles. A sharp cutting weapon was used to slit her throat,” he said.
In the Gothapatna case, the police officer said that the woman was assaulted by some miscreants when her husband had gone out to fetch water. “The reason behind the assault and her subsequent death is yet to be ascertained. It could be over some family dispute or business rivalry. Chandaka IIC is probing the case,” he added.
