Bhanjanagar: A mentally-deranged woman was allegedly strangled to death by her husband who then tried to commit suicide by consuming poison over a family feud Sunday morning. The incident was reported from Turumu Nuasahi under this police limits in Ganjam district.
The deceased was identified as Kuni Gouda (40), wife of Panchu Gouda. Police registered a case of murder against Panchu and launched a probe. The police also seized a cloth used to strangle Kuni. Panchu was found in an unconscious state and admitted to Bhanjanagar sub-divisional hospital.
The body was seized Sunday morning and sent for post-mortem. Preliminary police investigation revealed the murder was the fallout from a family feud between the couple.
Bhanjanagar SDPO Utkal Keshari Das, IIC Aswini Kumar Sahu along with a police team reached the village and launched a probe.
According to police, Kuni of Khariguda had married Panchu 15 years ago and they have two children. They eked out a living by doing odd jobs. However, tension struck the family after Kuni was affected by some mental illness a few years back. Adding to their woes, financial problems created a further rift between the two. They often broke into altercation over financial problems in the family.
The couple Saturday night had a fight over same problem. Sunday morning Panchu came face to face again with Kuni while she was returning after taking bath in a pond. They again got into a fight near the pond. In a fit of rage, Panchu strangled her with a scarf and dumped her body in an incomplete bathroom of the local school.
Later, in a bid to end his life, he consumed poison but was rescued. Family members searched for Kuni when she did not return from the pond and spotted her body in the bathroom and alerted the police.
Kuni’s family members complained she was mentally ill. Panchu did not pay heed to her health. He wanted to go for a second marriage and hence killed Kuni, her brother alleged. PNN
