Woman Sarpanch candidate death: Love affair behind murder; accused arrested

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Mohana, Jan 19:

Odisha police have arrested the prime accused in the death of woman Sarpanch candidate Mini Dalabehera following which it has come to fore that she was killed over love affair, informed Gajapati SP Sushil Panigrahi at a press conference today.

The arrested, identified as Sudhir Gamang (32) hailing from Ramachandrapur village under R Udayagiri police limits in the district, had developed relationship with Mini.

Sudhir has confessed before police that he killed Mini after she started developing relationship with another person, the SP said.

According to reports, after getting separated from her husband, Mini was staying at her father’s. During the period, Sudhir fell in love with Mini.

However, he used to doubt her over her budding relationship with another person.

On the fateful day, Sudhir took her to a nearby hill on his bike where an exchange of words took place between the two over the issue following which he killed her and torched the body pouring petrol over it.

The post-mortem report of the deceased had revealed that there were multiple injuries on her body indicating that she was murdered while the burn injuries on the body suggested that the victim was set on fire after the murder.

However, no evidence of rape was found during the autopsy.

Notably, Mini’s half-burnt body was recovered from a forest near Sagada hill on January 16.

Mini, the former Sarpanch of Baghamari panchayat under Mohana Block, had filed her nomination paper on January 12 for the post of Sarpanch for upcoming rural elections in the state.

She was then found missing following which her family members had filed a missing complaint at Chandragiri police outpost.

Acting on the complaint, police had recovered the half-burnt body from the forest.