Papadahandi: Bodies of a 20-year-old married man and a minor girl were found hanging from a tree in a cashew orchard under Mokia panchayat of this block in Nabarangpur district Thursday.
The bodies were found hanging from the same branch of the tree, hugging each other. Although police suspect they were in a relationship, their families stated that they were unaware of it. The deceased were identified as Pabitra Bhatra of Mokia village and the minor daughter of his distant maternal uncle.
Pabitra had married about four months ago following an affair with another woman. He had left his wife at her parents’ house on the occasion of Nuakhai celebrations. According to Pabitra’s father, his son had dinner and went to bed Wednesday night.
However, his family found him missing Thursday morning, triggering a frantic search. At the same time, reports emerged that the minor girl was also missing, prompting her family to search for her as well.
Later Thursday morning, villagers spotted the duo hanging from the tree and informed their family members, who reached the spot and alerted Papadahandi police.
Papadahandi SDPO Satyajit Kandelkal reached the scene to take stock of the situation. A scientific team examined the area in the presence of Magister Gudura Hembram.