Cuttack Woman Stages Drowning to Elope, Nabbed in Puri

Cuttack: In a dramatic turn of events, a married woman from Ratagarh in Cuttack district allegedly staged her own drowning in the Mahanadi river to elope with her paramour.

The incident occurred on September 1 in Banki area, when the woman went to the riverbank for immersion of idols after the Khudurukuni festival. She reportedly left her sandals and puja items on the embankment to make it appear as though she had been swept away by the river’s strong currents.

Believing she had drowned, villagers alerted authorities. Fire Brigade teams conducted a three-day search operation in the Mahanadi but failed to trace her.

Police later discovered that the woman had secretly travelled to Puri with her paramour. She was finally traced to Chudanga Sahi in the Holy Town, where she had been staying with him.

Both the woman and her paramour have been detained for questioning, officials confirmed.