BHUBANESWAR: A 35-year-old man was allegedly murdered by his estranged wife and in-laws reportedly in an act of self-defence after the former barged into their house in Gramadiha village on the city outskirts in the wee hours of Sunday.
The deceased has been identified as Dibakar Bastia of Delanga in Puri. Police have detained Bastia’s brother-in-law Rajesh Jena in this connection.
Police said Bastia had tied the knot with Lakshmipriya Jena in 2022 but separated after six months due to personal differences. The couple has a two-year-old daughter. Lakshmipriya had since been staying at her parents’ place in Gramadiha village.
On Saturday night, Bastia had entered Lakshmipriya’s house through the terrace and allegedly attacked his wife and mother-in-law with a sword. Lakshmipriya’s brother Rajesh came to their rescue and attacked Bastia with a stick, leading to his death on the spot. Lakshmipriya and Bidulata assisted Rajesh in the crime, police said.
However, her father Pramod, who works as a security guard, was not present in the house when the incident took place. Following Bastia’s death, his brother Santosh lodged a complaint against the trio with Info Valley police.
Meanwhile, Pramod lodged a counter-complaint alleging his son, daughter and wife acted in self defence after Bastia assaulted them with a sword. As per his complaint, Dibakar used to visit them often and demand money for constructing his house.
Police said Bastia had gone to his in-laws’ house at around 2 am and attacked Lakshmipriya with the sharp weapon following which she sustained cut injuries on her neck. When his mother-in-law Bidulata intervened, he attacked her too, and she sustained injuries in her hand. Subsequently, when Rajesh came to their rescue, a brawl took place between Bastia and the trio following which Rajesh hit him with a stick.
“Dibakar succumbed in the attack. While one case was registered basing on the Bastia’s brother’s complaint, the other was registered on Lakshmipriya’s father’s complaint,” said Info Valley IIC, Krupasindhu Barad. Further probe is underway, he added.