Nabarangpur, June 17: Police have arrested a man in connection with the suspected rape and murder of a young woman in Chacharaguda village under Kodinga police station limits in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Nabarangpur Superintendent of Police Partha Jagdish Kashyap said the accused, identified as Dasarath Majhi, was detained on Monday after police developed suspicion regarding his involvement in the case. During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime.
Majhi was produced before a local court on Tuesday. Police said they would seek his remand for further interrogation as the investigation continues.
According to investigators, the accused and the deceased, Chandra Bhattara, were acquainted with each other. Preliminary findings suggest that an altercation broke out between them on the night of the incident. In a fit of anger, Majhi allegedly slit the woman’s throat, resulting in her death.
Police further alleged that after committing the crime, the accused attempted to destroy evidence by dumping the body into a well located on his property. He then reportedly went into hiding but was later apprehended following a swift police investigation.
Considering the gravity of the case, the SP said the probe has been entrusted to an Inspector from the Investigative Units on Crime Against Women (IUCAW) attached to the District Police Office.
Meanwhile, a postmortem examination was conducted late Monday night at the Nabarangpur District Headquarters Hospital in the presence of a magistrate. The autopsy was carried out by doctors Sumant Ranjan Bal and Monalisa Panigrahi.
Police said viscera and sperm samples have been collected and sent for forensic analysis. The SP stated that the postmortem and forensic reports will help determine whether the victim was sexually assaulted and provide crucial evidence regarding the circumstances of the crime, including the nature of the relationship between the accused and the deceased.
In a parallel development, Nabarangpur District Collector Maheshwar Swain directed the Kosagumuda Block Development Officer (BDO) to assess the financial condition of the victim’s family and submit a report. The Collector assured that if the family is found to be facing financial hardship, immediate assistance will be provided through the Red Cross and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).
Further investigation into the case is underway.
