Berhampur: A pregnant woman was allegedly hacked to death Tuesday while she was sitting on a ‘dharna’ in front of her in-laws’ house in Odisha’s Ganjam district, demanding rights for her daughter, police said.
The incident, which sent a shock wave across the state, took place at Kharida village under Hinjili police station limits of Ganjam district Tuesday afternoon.
The deceased has been identified as Puja Swain (21), a resident of Rambha area, while the accused, Litu Gouda, her husband’s younger brother, has been detained, police said.
The woman’s husband, Chintu Gouda, was not present at home when his wife, Puja, along with their 2-year-old daughter, was staging a dharna before their house. Chintu had abandoned Puja some days ago, for which she staged a dharna in front of her in-laws’ house, demanding rights for her daughter. She was also pregnant, police said.
“The police have registered a murder case and seized the axe used in the crime. The accused has been detained for interrogation,” said Srinibas Sethy, inspector-in-charge, Hinjili police station. The body was sent for post-mortem at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here, he said.
According to police, Puja had fallen in love with Chintu through a social media platform, and they eloped to Puri, where they married at a Shiv Temple and stayed there. They had a daughter also. Chintu was a daily labourer, while the deceased was an orphan. She wanted to go to her in-laws’ house in Kharida.
Both Chintu and Puja, along with their daughter, arrived at Berhampur railway station on April 17 from Puri. However, Chintu fled from the railway station by abandoning his pregnant wife and little daughter.
“When he did not turn up, she lodged a complaint against her husband at a police station in Berhampur. As she had no backing, Puja and her daughter were facilitated to stay at the one-stop centre in Berhampur town. However, she left the place and went to stage a dharna in front of her in-laws’ house,” said SDPO, Hinjili, Santosh Jena.
He said the police have also registered a case, and a notice has been issued to her in-laws.
“The woman was killed after her story was shown on local television channels. Her in-laws might have felt insulted and decided to eliminate her,” said a local police officer.
PTI