Bhawanipatna: A retired supervisor of the Health department was found murdered at her residence and her gold jewellery missing at Gadiajor village under Dharmagarh police limits in Kalahandi district, police said Monday.
“The deceased, identified as Suchitra Khuntia, 62, had injuries on her neck and hands, suggesting she was strangled with a shawl she was wearing,” they said, adding, “All the gold jewellery she was wearing was missing, indicating a dacoity.”
According to preliminary information, the incident took place late Sunday night.
Khuntia was alone at home as her husband, a retired high school teacher, and their two sons, both government employees, live outside the village.
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Locals alerted police after spotting a lifeless Khuntia lying in front of the house in the morning.
Officials from Dharmagarh police station, along with a forensic team and a sniffer dog squad, reached the spot and launched an investigation. Police said the assailants fled after the murder, taking away her scooter.
They later abandoned the vehicle on Biju Expressway, about 2 kilometres away from her residence. It is suspected that they abandoned the scooter after running out of fuel.
According to family sources, Khuntia had retired from service in December 2024. She was a native of Mahadevstu village under Kakatpur police limits in Puri district.
After the postmortem, the body was handed over to the family.
While police were probing the case from multiple angles, family members claimed the murder may not have been committed solely for dacoity.
“A case has been registered at Dharmagarh police station. The exact reason behind her killing is yet to be ascertained,” they said.