Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jul 10: 

In a major breakthrough in the sensational Dhirikuti slum murder case, Commissionerate police today arrested the prime suspect – the wife of the deceased -- from Nimapada area in Odisha’s Puri who confessed to the crime.

Preeti dhirukuti slum murder

“He used to come home drunk and beat me and my son. This was a routine affair. It was getting unbearable. I approached the neighbours and everyone else. No one helped me. They said that it is my domestic matter and I should take care of it. I was even told that I should kill him on my own and so I did,” said accused Deepanjali Das speaking to reporters after her arrest today.

She further narrated the incident in details.

“On June 26, he came home drunk and beat me up. I waited untill he passed out under influence of liquor and then tied his hands and legs. Then I assaulted him with a crowbar repeatedly leading to his death. It was about 11 AM then. I started digging a ditch in the house at about noon and finished the work at about 5-6 PM. I buried him there and used a mixture of sand and cement along with the soil to fill the ditch. It was about 7 PM by the time I was done,” she added.

Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi also confirmed that she has confessed to the crime before the police.

“She was arrested from Nimapada early in the morning. We have recovered the murder weapon and few other materials used in the crime. So far, it appears that she carried it out singlehandedly. She performed a demonstration of the entire incident today. Further investigations are on,” said DCP Bhoi.

While Deepa continued to live in the same house for days after the incident, the neighbours grew suspicious about the prolonged absence of her husband Ashok Das.  She finally fled the house about four to five days back leading the slum dwellers to approach the police.

In the presence of police and a magistrate, locals yesterday dug up the ground and recovered the semi-decomposed body that was later handed over to the police for post-mortem.

It may be noted here that Deepanjali was married to deceased Ashok– a resident of Keonjhar – since past five years.