Woman’s charred body found in farmland | Bhubaneswar News

Rourkela: Kundheigola police in Deogarh district on Tuesday detained a 50-year-old man for questioning on suspicion of burning his wife to death. The woman’s half-charred body was found in a farmland about 300 metres from their home on Monday afternoon. A scientific team from Angul joined Kundheigola police on Tuesday to examine the spot. Acting on an FIR, police registered a murder case.The incident took place at Malharbahal village under Kundheigola police limits. Locals alerted police on Monday after spotting the charred body. The victim was identified as Laxmi Sahu (48), wife of Yashobanta Sahu (50) of the same village. The area was cordoned off and Yashobanta was called to the spot.Police and the forensic team revisited the site on Tuesday, questioned villagers and conducted the inquest before sending the body for postmortem. Locals told police they had noticed flames in the farmland on Sunday night but assumed someone was burning leftover stubble after harvesting paddy. It was only on Monday afternoon that the half-burnt body was discovered and reported.Laxmi’s brother Murali Sahu lodged an FIR on Monday night demanding strict action. During inquiry, police learnt that the couple had quarrelled on Sunday afternoon and that Yashobanta often fought with his wife.Police detained Yashobanta on Monday and continued questioning him on Tuesday. “We have registered a murder case and investigation is underway. The husband has been detained and is being interrogated,” said Johan Kujur, IIC, Kundheigola police station.Laxmi and Yashobanta had been married for about 26 years and were childless. Police said Yashobanta had brought another woman home as a second wife three years ago, but she left a few months back.