Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, July 9:

Commissionerate Police today exhumed a body of a man from a house in a slum in Odisha capital, suspected to be murdered and then buried.

dhirkuti slum murder

The unearthing of the body has sent shock waves in the area and the locals alleged that the man has been murdered by his wife.

The deceased identified as Ashok— said to be in his mid-30s— was not seen in the Dhirakuti slum under Mancheswar police station limits since last few weeks.

Ashok along with his wife Deepa and two children had moved to this slum a month ago. The man was working as a driver. When neighbours inquired about Ashok, his wife told them that he has gone out of station in connection with some work, locals said.

Days later, the neighbours found the house locked raising suspicion among them. They reported the matter to the local police on Thursday evening.

The police personnel along with dog squad reached the spot this morning for enquiry. A stench led the investigators to the place where the body was buried. Upon exhuming four-feet into the ground in the presence of a magistrate, the semi-decomposed body was found.

A coat of cement plaster was spread over the corpse, intriguingly buried without clothes.

The locals alleged that the couple had a strained relationship and used to quarrel most of the times. Ashok used to object the visit of guests to the house in his absence. The locals went on to allege that the woman was involved in prostitution.

Ashok might have come to know about his wife’s illicit affairs following which a fight would have ensued and that might have led to his murder, a neighbor alleged.

A source on condition of anonymity said that the incident has occurred at least two weeks ago considering the condition of the corpse. It seems that more than one person was involved in disposing the body given the way it has been buried, he added.