Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
A chilling tale of deception and murder has emerged from Sarapankha Nuagaon village in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district. A 40-year-old pharmacist, Debashis Patra, has been arrested for allegedly killing his estranged wife and mother-in-law.
The accused has been charged with burying the bodies in his backyard and attempting to conceal his crime beneath a plantation of banana trees. The macabre plot, which police believe he nearly got away with, was ultimately exposed by an unlikely accomplice, a wild elephant, police said Tuesday.
The gruesome discovery unfolded when villagers, assessing damage caused by a wild elephant that had strayed into the area on July 28, visited Patra's backyard. Their suspicions were aroused by the unusually planted banana trees, prompting one villager to prod the soil with a crowbar.
The ease with which the tool penetrated the ground confirmed their worst fears. Upon digging, they unearthed the decomposed bodies of Sonali Dalai, 25, and her mother, Somanti Dalai, 55, wrapped in polythene.
According to Inspector-in-Charge of Kuliana police station, Madhumita Mohanty, Patra had invited his wife and mother-in-law to his home on July 13, ostensibly to reconcile their strained relationship. However, on July 15, he allegedly murdered them. The following day, he filed a missing persons report for both women, a move that initially cast suspicion but lacked concrete evidence until the elephant's unexpected visit.
“It confirmed their suspicions, and they started digging and found the decomposed bodies wrapped in polythene,” the police officer said.
Police sources indicate that Sonali was Patra's second wife. His previous marriage was reportedly heading for divorce. The relationship with Sonali, which began two years ago, had also deteriorated, police found during the investigation.
While visible injuries were found on the bodies, the exact cause of death will be determined by the post-mortem examination. The bodies have been sent to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Patra is currently in police custody, and investigations are ongoing to ascertain further details of the horrifying crime.
