Odisha Man Kills Wife, Mother-in-Law; Hides Bodies Under Banana Plants in Backyard
A man from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife and mother-in-law, burying their bodies in the backyard of his house, and planting banana trees over the spot to cover up the crime.
The accused, Debashis Patra, a 40-year-old pharmacist residing in Sarapankha Nuagaon village, is suspected of killing his wife Sonali Dalai, aged 23, and her mother Somanti Dalai on July 19 following a domestic quarrel, police officials said.
According to the police, Sonali was Patra’s second wife. He reportedly used a heavy stone to bludgeon both women while they were sleeping.
Preliminary inquiries suggest that Patra and Sonali had been facing ongoing marital tensions. Sonali’s mother had brought her back to her husband’s house on July 12 in an effort to resolve their differences and bring about reconciliation. However, the effort ended in tragedy, as per a report by NDTV.
After committing the murders, Patra allegedly waited for nightfall and took advantage of the heavy rain to move the bodies to a lemon orchard situated behind his house. There, he dug a pit, buried the two women, and planted banana saplings over the site in order to avoid raising suspicion.
In a bid to mislead the police and his wife’s family, Patra filed a missing person complaint, stating that Sonali and Somanti had left the village after visiting his house and dropping off their child.
For several days, Patra continued to stay in the same house with his young son, displaying no signs of anxiety. However, locals began to grow suspicious after they noticed freshly dug soil and newly planted banana trees in the orchard.
When alerted, police questioned Patra, and he confessed to the crime. He then guided them to the burial location. The bodies, which had already started decomposing, were exhumed and sent for autopsy.
According to police sources, the exact reason behind the murders is still under investigation, though it is believed that domestic violence was a major contributing factor. Patra has been arrested and charged with murder and destruction of evidence.
