Khurda: A husband and his wife were found hanging inside a rented house at Samantarapur near Thengahat Chhak here Sunday night. They were Soumyakant and Suchismita Patnaik of Pathuripada in Banki area of Cuttack district.
According to sources, Soumyakant was working in the Thiruvalla petrochemicals company here and was staying with his wife and an eight-year-old daughter – who is now orphaned. Though the exact cause is yet to be established, a relative said Soumyakant was under mental stress due to some issues he had with the company management. The relatives also suspected the police’s role in the suicide.
“The company was not paying salary and was harassing him. He was called to the police station Sunday over some issues in the company,” the relative said, adding that the suicide took place after Soumyakant returned from the police station. “We suspect the police tortured him at the behest of the company management,” said Soumyakant’s brother.
Soumyakant had met with an accident while working in the company. After this, there was disagreement between him and the company over release of the compensation amount. Sunday, the company officials called him to the Khurda Town police station for discussions.
At night, he was found hanging with his wife inside his rented house. Locals spotted the bodies inside the house and informed the police. Cops came in and sealed the house. Meanwhile, a scientific team has started an investigation.
“The exact reason for the deaths will be known after a detailed investigation,” informed Khurda SDPO, Jugal Kishore Dash.
