Cuttack: A 22-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly bludgeoning her mother-in-law to death with an iron rod in Madhupur area under Baranga police limits in Cuttack district.
The deceased has been identified as Suchitra Sahoo (60). The accused, Saraswati Sahoo, who is four months pregnant, was arrested on the basis of complaint lodged by Hrusikesh Srichandan, brother of the deceased.
According to police sources, the incident took place on December 5 when Saraswati and Suchitra were alone at home as the former’s husband Saroj was visiting his sister in Berhampur. Suchitra offered to sleep with Saraswati in her bedroom since she was pregnant. However, the duo had a heated argument over switching off the lights of the room. After some time, they went off to sleep. Saraswati, who wanted the lights to be completely turned off, woke up in the middle of night and began hitting Suchitra with an iron rod kept near the bed. An tussle ensued between them and the accused also bit her mother-in-law’s elbow. Saraswati also sustained injuries on her hand and face.
Suchitra later died due to profuse bleeding from head, the sources added.
“Saraswati wanted the room’s light to be switched off, but the Suchitra refused to do so. Following this, Saraswati attacked her mother-in-law ith an iron rod. She then washed the blood stains on her saree and hid the iron rod,” Additional DCP Anil Kumar Mishra told the media.
Police have seized the crime weapon and blood-stained clothes of the accused, who was produced in court on Saturday.
