Woman Allegedly Killed Over Dowry in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj; Husband, Mother-in-Law Absconding

Baripada: A shocking case of alleged dowry-related murder has come to light in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, where a woman was reportedly killed by her husband and in-laws nearly a decade after her marriage.

The incident occurred in Chelia village under Badasahi police limits. The deceased has been identified as Lucy Mohapatra, wife of Sandeep Mohapatra.

According to allegations by the victim’s family, Sandeep, an employee in the forest department, along with his parents, had been subjecting Lucy to continuous physical and mental harassment over additional dowry demands since the early months of their marriage in 2016.

Family members claimed that all dowry demands were fulfilled at the time of marriage, but the harassment allegedly persisted over the years.

On the day of the incident, Sandeep’s father, Bijay Narayan, reportedly informed Lucy’s family over the phone about her death and asked them to come to Badasahi Hospital. Upon their arrival, he claimed that Lucy had died by suicide by hanging.

However, suspecting foul play due to her past experiences, the woman’s family rejected the suicide claim and alleged that she had been murdered in a planned manner. They subsequently lodged a written complaint at Badasahi police station.

Police have registered a case of dowry death and launched an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, Sandeep and his mother, Premalata, are reportedly absconding.