Pipli/Delang: A 23-year-old married woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Surangpur under Delang police limits here, an official said Monday.
Delang inspector in-charge (IIC) Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik said that they have recovered the body of Deptimayee Baral from her residence in the morning and sent it for an autopsy to Puri.
Deptimayee had married Suryakant, a driver by profession, around five years back.
“It was a love-turned-arranged marriage. Things were rosy for around two years or so. Then, Deptimayee’s in-laws frequently harassed her for dowry. Although we gave them a motorcycle, cash and jewellery, it couldn’t satiate their greed as their demands kept growing,” Deptimayee’s mother Pravishini Swain said in her police complaint.
Pravishini said that it was Sunday night when she got a call from Deptimayee’s in-laws informing that she had hanged herself from the ceiling.
“This is a blatant lie. My daughter can never ever take such an extreme step. Suryakant often comes home drunk and beats her. I believe Suryakant and his family have killed my daughter just for money. They are cooking a story to avoid arrest,” Pravishini alleged.
Suryakant’s mother confirmed that her son had come home drunk and quarrelled with Deptimayee Sunday night. “However, he didn’t kill her. Following the quarrel, a frustrated Deptimayee hanged herself,” Suryakant’s mother said.
Delang police has registered a case (143) under several Sections of the IPC including 498, 302, 304B and 34 and the Dowry Prohibition Act. Suryakant has been arrested, the IIC said.
PNN
