BHUBANESWAR: A 26-year-old woman died after allegedly falling from the terrace of a franchised hotel in Jagamara area’s Panchasakha Nagar within Khandagiri police limits late on Wednesday night.
The deceased, Sonali Mohapatra, was a resident of Nayagarh and worked with a finance company here. Police said she was in a live-in relationship with Bibhuti Bhushan Pratihari and had been staying in the same hotel on rent basis for the last six months.
On Wednesday night, Mohapatra was allegedly strolling on the hotel terrace as she was having a headache. She had even called her mother Pramila and informed that she was feeling unwell. The victim’s brother was supposed to arrive in the city on Thursday and take her back home in Nayagarh, police said.
Pratihari told police that he had gone to the terrace to check on Mohapatra and she said she would return to the room after some time. However, a few minutes after he left, she fell from the two-storey building. On being taken to the hospital, doctors declared her dead.
“A detailed investigation has been launched to ascertain whether the woman fell accidentally, she died by suicide or if there is any foul play,” said Khandagiri IIC Abhimanyu Das. Prima facie investigation reveals Mohapatra could have accidentally fallen down as the boundary wall of the terrace is short.
“However, her mother has lodged a complaint suspecting foul play, following which a murder case was registered. Further probe is on,” said Das.