Nabarangpur: Nabarangpur police are investigating the death of an 18-year-old pregnant newly married woman whose body was found hanging from a tree in Maliguda village Saturday, with her family members alleging murder.
The deceased, Netramani Mali of Chiliguda village, was discovered by villagers in the backyard of her in-laws’ house. Police were informed immediately, following which senior officers, including Additional District Superintendent of Police Aditya Sen, SDPO Krushna Chandra Bhatra, and a forensic team, arrived at the scene to begin the investigation.
A magistrate supervised the inquest proceedings before the body was sent to the district headquarters hospital in Nabarangpur for post-mortem. Police said the autopsy report would be crucial in determining whether the death was suicide or murder.
The victim’s mother, Champa Mali, filed a complaint alleging that her daughter was murdered by her in-laws and later hanged to stage it as suicide. She also alleged that the woman had been subjected to physical and mental harassment and was about one month pregnant.
Police have detained the woman’s husband Naresh Pujari, his father Madhu Pujari, and grandfather Jagannath Pujari for questioning. A case (189/26) has been registered and investigation is continuing.