Dowry Killing : Father of ‘murdered’ daughter seeks justice

Reported by Santosh Jagdev

Bhubaneswar, Oct 7:

Demanding stringent action against his daughter’s ‘murderers’, Pitabas Behera of Jangapatna village under Jagatpur police limits in Cuttack district has sought the intervention of the State Commission for Women (SCW) here on Monday.

Behera and people from his village, led by Utkal Bharat party activists,  submitted s petition on Monday to the Commission, and said the local police had not taken action against the persons involved with his daughter’s brutal murder.

According to the petition, Behera’s daughter Rajashree alias Rita had married Muna Behera of Praharajpur under Kishan Nagar police limits in Cuttack district on March 8 this year.

During the wedding ceremony, Rita’s in-laws had asked for Rs 50,000 in cash , a cot and a Godrej steel almirah, demands that Behera was not in a position to fulfill immediately.

He had, however, coughed up Rs 30,000 apart from giving  jewellery and home appliances as part of the dowry, but that did not satisfy Rita”s in-laws.

They allegedly tortured Rita after the wedding and even forced her to terminate her pregnancy.

“My daughter, when she was pregnant the second time, was killed by her in-laws on September 29,” said Behera with tears in his eyes.

While the  police have arrested two persons , Behera has demanded the  arrest of all others involved in the alleged murder.