Bhawanipatna: Tensions gripped Odisha’s Kalahandi district after the decomposing, blood-stained bodies of a young couple, who had been missing for five days, were found hanging from a tree with their hands tied behind their backs on Thursday, fuelling strong suspicions of an honour killing.
The deceased were identified as 21-year-old Ajit Kumar Naik from Tendapali village and a girl aged 17 from Kendumudipada in Dharamgarh town.
According to sources, the duo had been untraceable since the night of October 17 amid Durga Puja festivities. Their families filed missing-person complaints at Koksara and Dharmagarh police stations, roughly 25 km apart, after failing to locate them. The search came to a tragic end when villagers collecting firewood stumbled upon the bodies hanging from a tree atop the Bhandar Dongari hill near Behera village. Word spread rapidly, drawing a large crowd to the site. Family members later arrived and confirmed the identities of the victims.
Sources further stated that the families opposed their relationship because the two belonged to different castes. Ajit’s family has specifically claimed they had received threats from members of girl’s side on earlier occasions.
Locals and relatives have alleged that the couple may have been killed and their bodies hanged from the tree in an attempt to make the deaths appear as suicide. They pointed out that both individuals had visible bloodstains across their bodies and, crucially, their hands were tied tightly behind their backs. Relatives questioned how anyone could commit suicide under such physical constraints.
Police have not ruled out honour killing as a possible motive while remaining cautious in their public comments. Koksara IIC Dambarudhar Batria noted that police had actively pursued leads since the disappearance was reported Dharamgarh SDPO Varshitha Addapu added that the bodies had been sent for postmortem and all potential angles are being examined.
