Sohela: Police registered a murder case and exhumed the decomposed body of a labourer from a burial site at Pandakipali village in Baragada district, a month after his death.
Three accused identified as Rajani Sahu, Dinesh Sahu and Bulu Sahu were arrested in this connection and forwarded to court. According to the complaint filed October 9 by the deceased’s wife Bideshini Barge, her husband Amruta Barge was called out of their house September 8 morning on the pretext of some work.
Shortly afterwards, accused Rajani Sahu took her to a field, saying Amruta was unwell. She reportedly found her husband lying unconscious and apparently lifeless at the spot. He was taken first to Pandakipali and subsequently to Sohela hospital, where he was declared dead.
The complainant alleged that Rajani threatened her, assured financial assistance and arranged for Amruta’s body to be taken home and buried in haste. Bideshini reportedly approached the police a month after the incident out of frustration as the accused did not provide the promised amount. She had also confided in her daughter about the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death and the alleged threats made by the accused.
Following the complaint, Sohela police secured the burial site and arrested the three accused. Considering the seriousness of the case, the Padampur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) visited Sohela police station to review the investigation.
Police, accompanied by a scientific team, exhumed the decomposed body Saturday morning and sent it for post-mortem. Police have registered a case under Sections 103(1), 238(a), 3(5), 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(2)(va) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as applicable. Additional IIC Shyamananda Nayak has been appointed as the investigating officer, Sohela police station IIC Harishankar Bhoi said.