Tangi: In a shocking incident, the Cuttack district police have arrested a man for allegedly murdering his 28-year-old wife over dispute arising from an extramarital relationship, officials said Monday.
The accused has been identified as Malay Kumar Samal of Bhatimunda village under the Tangi police limits in Cuttack district. According to police sources, Malay, who worked as a mason in Balikuda area of Jagatsinghpur district, came into contact with the victim, Banita Sethi, a couple of years ago.
Their acquaintance gradually developed into a romantic relationship, and the two later got married at a local temple in Balikuda. Following their marriage, the couple lived together in Jagatsinghpur for nearly two years. About one-and-a-half years ago, Malay brought Banita to Cuttack on the pretext of taking her to his parental home.
However, instead of introducing her to his family, he allegedly arranged for the couple to stay in a rented house under the jurisdiction of Tangi police station. During this period, Banita reportedly worked at a private agency in the locality and contributed to the household income.
Police said the couple’s relationship began to deteriorate in recent months after a distant female friend of Banita came to stay with them. During her stay, Malay allegedly developed an extra-marital relationship with the woman. Frequent quarrels reportedly erupted between the husband and wife over the issue, creating tension within the household.
Investigators suspect that the strained relationship and recurring disputes ultimately led to the crime. According to police, Malay allegedly strangled Banita to death Wednesday and later stuffed her body into a gunny bag before burying it near the bank of the Mendhakhai River in an attempt to conceal the crime.
Following a complaint lodged by Banita’s family members Saturday, police detained Ma lay for questioning. During questioning, Malay reportedly confessed to the crime. Based on the information provided by the accused, police exhumed Banita’s body from the riverbank Sunday.
Police suspect the involvement of the victim’s female friend in the crime and have launched a manhunt to trace and arrest her.
