Ditched Odisha woman attempts immolation; rescued

Reported by Santosh Jagdev
Bhubaneswar, July 28:

A 27-year-old distressed woman today tried to immolate herself in the premises of Mahila police station in the Odisha capital alleging inaction by the police.

The woman tried to pour kerosene and immolate herself this afternoon. But she was prevented from doing so by the police who intervened and rescued the woman in time. The woman received no injuries.

The woman identified as Saraswati Behera of Nimapada in Puri district, had got married to one Rajesh Jena, a builder by profession, last year and both had been living in the Unit-VIII area in the city.

Saraswati said she had lodged a complaint with the Mahila police a month ago accusing her husband of deserting her and marrying another woman without informing her, but the police did not act on her complaint.

“I had lodged a complaint at the Mahila police station a month ago. But police registered the case only on July 6. Till date, they have failed to nab my husband who is still at large,” Saraswati told the media persons here. The police had also failed to send her for medical examination to ascertain the truth behind the case, she added.

On the other hand, the investigation officer (IO) of the case said that acting on the complaint lodged by the victim, police had launched several raids at the Unit-8 residence of Jena and also at his native place in Jagatsinghpur district, but failed to trace him.

“Despite several attempt by us to arrest Jena, he is still at large,” added the IO.

Meanwhile, the victim has been sent for a medical examination to the Capital Hospital by the police.