Bhubaneswar: Police have arrested three persons, including the prime accused, in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 39-year-old married woman in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Jitendra Mohanta (35) of Garudabasa village, who was reportedly a friend of the deceased woman, along with Karmu Patra, manager of a lodge in Baripada, and lodge employee Ashutosh Baral.
According to police, the woman, a resident of the Betnoti area, had left her home on Friday morning to purchase clothes from a nearby market but did not return. When repeated attempts to contact her failed, family members began searching for her.
Later that night, Mohanta allegedly informed the family that the woman had been admitted to the Mayurbhanj District Headquarters Hospital in critical condition. She subsequently died during treatment.
Following a complaint lodged by the woman’s husband, police registered a case alleging that she had been sexually assaulted and killed. Investigators detained Mohanta for questioning and launched a detailed probe.
During the investigation, police found that the woman and Mohanta had checked into a lodge in Baripada on June 26. Authorities allege that the woman was subjected to sexual assault and suffered severe injuries while at the lodge. She was later taken to the district hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Police further alleged that the lodge manager and an employee assisted in transporting the injured woman to the hospital.
The accused have been arrested, and further investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events and determine any additional culpability in the case.
