Bhubaneswar: The Assitant Block Development Officer (ABDO) of Bant in Odisha’s Bhadrak district, Debiprasad Jena, allegedly hacked his wife to death on Friday over domestic discord.
The deceased has been identified as Sudeshna Jena.
According to sources, the incident took place at the ABDO’s native village Daunr under Nandipada police limits in Keonjhar. Sudeshna, who had been living with her parents for the last few years over some disputes, returned to her husband’s native place to take care of their school-going son.
Sources further stated that the couple got into a heated argument this afternoon over a fishing net when Jena was home for lunch, following which he attacked his wife in a fit of rage with an axe in front of their daughter, who tried to intervene, and fled the spot. The villagers rushed a critically-injured Sudeshna to Salania community health centre. She was later shifted to Bhadrak district headquarters hospital as her condition deteriorated, but she died during treatment.
Debiprasad’s son, meanwhile, alleged that the ABDO was in an illicit affair and used to torture his mother. “We had complained to the BDO and local police station many times but no action was taken,” Satya Prakash claimed.
BDO Sitakant Rout said Debiprasad was absent from office on Friday without applying for leave. “We have informed the district magistrate through a letter,” he said.