Cuttack: Shortly after the post-mortem report of MBBS student Chandrika Hembram revealed death due to drowning, her family on Thursday rejected the findings as unacceptable.
Stressing that the place where her body was recovered contained very little water, they argued that accidental drowning was highly unlikely at the location. It would have been impossible for Chandrika to jump from such a height and drown in shallow water, they contended.
Expressing doubts about the circumstances surrounding her death, Chandrika’s brother alleged that she may have been forcibly submerged in water and killed. He further claimed that she could have been strangled to death elsewhere before her body dumped at the recovery site.
Someone drowning on their own in such shallow water is simply impossible. Even the fire department official who was present there was saying that it is impossible for someone to drown or to have drowned and swept to that spot in such shallow water, said Nayan Chand, Chandrika’s brother.
Stating that the family provided all the information, evidence, and clues they had to the police and thought the police would conduct the investigation properly, he said.
However, nothing came out of it in the first few days and police simply kept saying their investigation was ongoing, he said, adding that Chandrika’s male friend Bhimsen Tudu has also applied for anticipatory bail in the meantime.
Chandrika’s family has also levelled serious allegations against the police investigation. Her brother claimed that Bhimsen has received favourable treatment because he is an OAS officer and because his father serves in the police department. The family alleged that these connections may have influenced the handling of the case.
Questioning the sequence of developments in the investigation, Chandrika’s brother pointed to the public circulation of the FIR copy, Bhimsen’s bail application and the subsequent release of the post mortem report. He alleged that these developments raise concerns about the fairness of the probe and accused the police of acting in collusion with Bhimsen.
It has been alleged by the bereaved family that Chandrika died by suicide due to issues related to her relationship with Bhimsen. The family members have demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
Chandrika’s family members, including a cousin, alleged that Bhimsen was involved with another woman and had subjected Chandrika to mental harassment. It has been alleged her death was triggered by Bhimsen’s behaviour and his relationship with another woman.
Based on these allegations, police have registered a case indicating the possible involvement of multiple individuals.
Police sources said Bhimsen has been booked under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with abetment of suicide and carries a punishment of up to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine. The offence is non-bailable. Police have also invoked Section 3(5) of the BNS, which relates to offences committed by multiple persons acting together.
It may be noted that Chandrika Hembram, a final-year student at Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore, hailed from Raidandia village under Udala police station limits in Mayurbhanj district. Her body was spotted last week by morning walkers near Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Setu (Trisulia Bridge) in Cuttack. They noticed an abandoned bag and a pair of slippers near the edge of the bridge, then saw the body lying on a sand bed in the shallow waters of the river.
Barang police and Fire Services personnel reached the spot, retrieved the body after trekking about 1.5 km, and sent it to SCB Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. A doctor’s prescription and a mobile phone found in the bag helped identify the deceased.
According to Chandrika’s family, she had been in a long-term relationship of nearly 15 years with Bhimsen. The couple had reportedly planned to marry in 2027. The relationship, however, soured after another woman entered the picture, leading to frequent disputes and alleged harassment. “She went into depression thereafter,” her mother had earlier told the m
