Hemgir: A spurned lover killed a woman and her minor daughter by strangling them at Masinadhipa in Tikilipada village under Hemgor police limits in Sundargarh district on Christmas night, police said Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Nandia Minz (26) and Smruti Minz (6), the wife and daughter of Patrik Minz (27), a driver by profession, and a native of Kahipani village under Kutra police limits. The woman’s two-year-old son Surat Minz, however, escaped death.
SP Pinaki Mishra and Hemgir IIC Shradhanjali Subudhi rushed to the spot and conducted a preliminary investigation Tuesday.
The accused Salil Bhengra (27), a native of Reda village in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, was arrested 12 hours after the incident.
He was staying in the locality and had developed friendship with the family. He confessed to the crime during interrogation.
Police registered a case and produced the accused in a court.
Police said Patrik was staying in the hamlet with his family and working as a driver in Vasundhara coalmines
The incident occurred when Patrik left for work leaving his wife and two children at home on Christmas night.
Bhengra, aware of Patrik’s absence, knocked at the door and proposed his wife. The woman, however, spurned the proposal.
Enraged over this, Bhengra strangulated the woman and was about to dump the body when her daughter woke up. He then strangled Smruti to death and was leaving when Surat woke up. The accused thrashed him and left the place. PNN