BHUBANESWAR: An hour after allegedly murdering his 55-year-old wife, a 62-year-old retired accountant surrendered before the police on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday.
Accused Debaraj Sarangi retired two years ago as a senior accountant in Accountant General’s office. He is reportedly suffering from depression. The incident took place in Swastik Nagar, located in Kuha panchayat under Airfield police limits.
Police said Debaraj strangulated his wife Priyambada and then slit her throat using a kitchen knife. A few minutes after committing the crime, Debaraj surrendered before the police at about 11.45 am. Police rushed to the spot and found Priyambada in a pool of blood in their bedroom.
The couple’s only daughter Arpita, staying with her husband in Patrapada, told the investigators that her father came to her house earlier in the day and handed over gold ornaments of her mother and `25,000 cash before leaving in a hurried manner.
Police said Debaraj visited Arpita’s house after committing the crime but did not reveal anything to her. Arpita said her father looked worried as his health had deteriorated in the last few months and he had lost all hopes of health improvement.
Initial investigation revealed that Debaraj, a native of Nayagarh district, was suffering from multiple diseases like diabetes, liver cirrhosis, blood pressure and hypertension for the last five years. This affected his mental health too.
At about 10 am, Debaraj told Priyambada that he was leaving the house forever and even planning to die by suicide since he was fed up with his illness. When Priyambada attempted to stop him, he punched on her face and strangulated her in a fit of rage. He then slit her throat with a knife multiple times.
The couple was living in their newly-constructed two-storeyed house in Swastik Nagar for the last one year. After the incident, a scientific team and the police visited the crime scene to investigate the matter.
“In the morning, the couple had their breakfast together. However, Debaraj later told his wife that he was permanently leaving the house when she attempted to stop him,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena.
Preliminary probe suggests he was suffering from depression. The couple’s daughter lodged a complaint and a case of murder has been registered. The accused has been arrested and further probe is underway, he added.
This is a second such incident in the capital in the last 10 days. On March 31, a man allegedly killed his wife in their house within Badagada police limits over a personal dispute. He was later arrested and produced in a court.