DEOGARH : Tension prevailed at Ratanpur village in the district after the body of a missing woman, identified as Sonali, was recovered from Rengali Dam on Tuesday. While her body was being taken to Pallahada for postmortem, irate people of her husband’s village, Ratanpur in Kadlipal, damaged the roof of the latter’s house and set a motorcycle and other household items on fire. The woman went missing on January 26. Police arrested five persons, including her husband Kuna Behera, father-in-law Rabindra Behera, mother-in-law Indumati Behera, maternal aunt-in-law Dukhi Pradhan and maternal uncle-in-law Siba Pradhan on murder charges. The accused will be forwarded to the court on Wednesday.
According to reports, Sonali, daughter of Kisan Dehuri of Derapathar village under Barkote Police limits married Kuna eight months back after having a love affair with him. The couple belonged to different castes and their families had initially opposed the marriage.Later, the couple shifted to Rourkela, while Kuna visited his village occasionally. On January 20, Kuna’s father visited Rourkela to bring them to the village. However, the couple returned to Rourkela after the father and son had a fight midway, sources added.
Following repeated requests made by the father, the couple returned to Kadlipal on the same night. When Kuna left to see a cricket match on January 26, he returned home only to find her missing. When he did not get a satisfactory reply from his family members, he informed Barkote Police about the incident.
On the other hand, Sonali’s father filed a complaint with Barkote Police accusing Kuna of kidnapping his daughter. Basing on the complaint, police started the investigation and fished out victim’s body from the dam.
