Horror in Ganjam: Lover who burnt 25-year-old girl arrested by Odisha police

BERHAMPUR:  In a horrific incident, a youth allegedly burnt alive his 25-year-old girlfriend at Pratapur village within Purushottampur police limits in Ganjam district on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Subhasmita Khadanga of Kalamba village in Balipadar. The accused youth, Krushna Chandra Sahu of Pratapur, has been arrested. 

Krushna had reportedly asked Subhasmita to come to Pratapur. When she reached the village, the accused took her to an abandoned house. After a few moments, locals rushed to the spot after hearing the woman’s screams and found her in flames. They doused the fire and informed police. Subhasmita was rescued by cops in a half-charred condition and admitted to Purushottampur hospital. Since she had received over 80 per cent burns, her statement was recorded at the hospital in presence of the Executive Magistrate. The woman was later shifted to the MKCGMCH at Berhampur where she succumbed to burn injuries. 

Purushottampur SDPO Suryamani Pradhan said Krushna allegedly threw a highly inflammable liquid on the woman and set her afire. After committing the crime, Krushna fled the spot. During investigation, police traced the mobile phone location of the accused and nabbed him from Keshapur Chowk.  In her dying statement, Subhasmita reportedly said Krushna poured spirit on her and set her ablaze. The statement read, “As I asked him to marry me, he rejected my proposal saying that his marriage has been fixed with his uncle’s daughter.”

However, Krushna during his interrogation pleaded innocence and claimed that he was not present at the crime scene but at a shop in Purushottampur. He alleged that Subhasmita was mentally-challenged and was treated by a psychiatrist at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

“Subhasmita had once tried to kill me by poisoning on suspicion that I had relationship with other girls,” the accused told police.  Police have seized two rectified spirit bottles and a matchbox from the spot. While Krushna is being grilled, Subhasmita’s body has been sent for postmortem.