Odisha: Youth found dead near girlfriend’s house; family smells foul play

Sambalpur: Body of a 26-year-old youth was reportedly recovered near his lover’s house in Jujumura police station area of Nuabarangamal Gram Panchayat in Sambalpur district yesterday .

Family members of the deceased identified as Ashok Sahu, son of Bipin Sahu of Kulasara village, lodged a police complaint alleging murder. Acting on the complaint, police have detained Ashok’s girlfriend and her mother and brother for interrogation.

Sources said the Ashok was in love relationship with the young woman for the last five to six years. Both had decided to get married. However, the girl’s family had been opposing their relationship. Despite repeated warnings by the woman’s family, Ashok used to go to her village to meet her on numerous occasions.

Irate over this, the woman’s family lodged a police complaint against the Ashok. Police summoned Ashok and his family members to the police station and reprimanded the youth. In the meantime, the girl’s family fixed her marriage with someone else. The marriage was scheduled to take place on June 19. This led to bitterness between the girl’s family and Ashok.

Ashok’s elder brother Saroj said Ashok received a call from the young woman on June 15, following which he asked his two friends to give him a lift to her house. At around 4 pm on June 16, Ashok was found dead in a pool of blood in a bushy area near the woman’s house.

On receiving information, Rairakhol SDPO Prashant Meher and Jujumura police station IIC Rajkumar Biswal along with a scientific team reached the site and launched an investigation. The exact cause behind the death will be known once the post-mortem report comes in, police said.