Odisha nurse murdered as she spurned marriage offer

JAGATSINGHPUR: Biridi police on Saturday arrested a youth for the alleged murder of 24-year-old nurse Niharika Patra whose body was found stuffed in a sack on the banks of Biluakhai river near Nuapari village in the district recently.

Jagatsinghpur SP R Prakash said the accused, 27-year-old Kishore Kumar Anchal of Hazipur within Biridi police limits, had an affair with Niharika who was working in a private nursing home at Cuttack.

Kishore had proposed to marry Niharika. However, she was reluctant to accept the proposal as Kishore was unemployed.

This angered the youth who murdered her in Chauliaganj locality of Cuttack and dumped the body on the banks of the river after carrying it on a motorcycle. He committed the crime at his friend Sunil Kumar Sahoo’s rented house.

The deceased’s mother Pratima Patra lodged an FIR with Biridi police station stating that her daughter had left the nursing home on September 8 with Kishore. However, she did not return on that day.

On September 17, the nurse’s body was found on the banks of the river. After getting information, Pratima rushed to the spot and identified it as that of her daughter. Later, the manager of the nursing home, where the victim worked, lodged an FIR at Madhupatana police station following which a case was registered on September 19.

Biridi police started investigation into the matter and came to know that Kishore and the victim had been in a relationship for the last five years. On September 8, the accused went to the nursing home located at Rajendranagar. He then called  Niharika and left the place with her on a motorcycle.

After killing the nurse in his friend’s rented house, Kishore stuffed the body in a  sack and disposed it of on the banks of Bilukhai river.

He then left for Chennai. Police detained Kishore’s parents. Later, he was arrested.

The SP said Kishore is the only accused in the sensational murder case. There is no evidence of others being involved in the crime. Kishore has confessed to his crime.

Police have seized a cell phone, the motorcycle used in the crime and a helmet from the accused.