A man murdered a college student in Odisha after she rejected his marriage proposal. Sasmita Behera went missing from her Jadupur village home. Her body, bearing a deep cut on the throat, was found in a water-filled ditch the next morning.
A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering a 21-year-old college student in Odisha’s Kendrapara district after she rejected his marriage proposal, police said on Monday. The victim, identified as Sasmita Behera, was found dead in a water-filled ditch near her village on Saturday morning. Police said her throat had been slit. The accused, identified as Arajit Mohanty, was arrested following an investigation into the murder.
Student went missing on Friday evening
Sasmita, a resident of Jadupur village under Marsaghai police station limits, had gone missing from her home on Friday evening.
Her body was discovered in a water-filled ditch near the village the following morning. Police said she had a deep cut on her throat, indicating that she had been attacked with a sharp weapon.
During the investigation, police identified Mohanty, a resident of Balisahi village, as the accused. According to investigators, he allegedly killed Sasmita on Friday night after she turned down his marriage proposal.
A blood-stained knife was recovered from near the spot where the body was found. A forensic team and a dog squad also examined the crime scene to collect evidence, Marsaghai police station Inspector-in-Charge Tapan Nayak said.
Villagers block road, demand accused be handed over
Tension prevailed in Jadupur village on Monday when police visited the area to recreate the crime scene as part of the investigation.
Angry villagers blocked a local road and demanded that the accused be handed over to them. The situation prompted the authorities to rush additional security personnel to the spot to control the situation and pacify the protesters.
Police later took the accused into custody and produced him before a court in Kendrapara.
Accused sent to judicial custody
Mohanty was arrested under Sections 103 and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 103 deals with murder, while Section 238 relates to causing the disappearance of evidence or giving false information to screen an offender.
The accused sought bail, but the Kendrapara court rejected his plea and remanded him to judicial custody, police said.
The investigation is continuing, with police examining the evidence collected from the crime scene.
(With inputs from agencies)