Bhubaneswar, Nov 4 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a 76-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death inside her house in the Buddhanagar area under the jurisdiction of Laxmisagar police station in Bhubaneswar late Tuesday night.
The deceased was identified as Kunjalata Nanda, a homemaker who had been living alone in the house for the past couple of months following her husband’s death.
Police sources also said that a domestic help, Balabhadra Maharana, a resident of the Tangi area in Khordha district, had been staying at the same house to look after the elderly woman after her husband’s death.
On Wednesday, when the deceased did not open her room for a long time, the tenants informed her relatives, who subsequently alerted the police, suspecting foul play. The elderly victim’s body was found in a pool of blood when the door was opened in the presence of police.
The police, during the inquest found some gold ornaments the deceased was wearing along with other belongings are missing. Upon being informed, Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh, Bhubaneswar DCP Dr Saravana Vivek M, along with other senior officials, scientific and forensic team reached the spot and launched an investigation into the matter.
“As per our initial findings, a domestic help had been staying at the deceased’s house and assisting her for the past six months. He has been absconding since the incident, and his whereabouts are yet to be ascertained. Since he is under suspicion and several things inside the house were found disturbed, we suspect it to be a case of murder for gain. The domestic help is our prime suspect,” the Bhubaneswar DCP said.
He further added that the entire police team is already working on the case and expressed the hope that the absconding accused will be arrested soon. The DCP also told the media that the deceased woman has serious injury marks on her head.
However, the actual cause of death can only be ascertained after the postmortem of the body. He said that further details in the case will come to light as the investigation progresses and after the suspect is apprehended.
Based on the complaint lodged by the deceased’s son-in-law, a case (777/26) has been registered at the Laxmi Sagar police station in this regard.
–IANS
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