Man arrested for killing pregnant wife for dowry in Odisha

JAIPUR: A 24-year-old man was arrested on Monday for allegedly killing his pregnant wife for dowry in Mahanty Patana village within Mangalpur police limits.

The accused, Suraj Kumar Mallick had married 19-year-old Rakhi Jena of Dandisahi village in Dasarathpur block on October 29 last year.

After a few days of marriage, Rakhi’s in-laws allegedly started torturing her physically and mentally for dowry. The victim’s in-laws are stated to have called her parents and told them their daughter had fallen ill on Sunday morning. When they reached there, she was already dead.

The family members reportedly found her foaming at the mouth and nose and had injury marks on her neck. Sources said Rakhi was three months pregnant.

While the victim’s in-laws termed the incident as suicide, her family members alleged she was murdered. Acting on a complaint filed by Rakhi’s family members, police registered a case of dowry death. Suraj was arrested on Monday while the rest of his family are still at large.