KENDRAPARA: Pattamundai police on Thursday detained a married woman on charges of poisoning a 23-year-old girl on the day of her engagement to a man with whom the former reportedly had an extra-marital affair.
Police identified the accused as 37-year-old Munni Bibi of Damarapur village within Pattamundai Rural police limits. The victim is Munni’s neighbour.
Sources said Munni allegedly had an illicit relationship with a 29-year-old youth of Pattamundai town for the last two years. She was enraged after her paramour’s marriage was recently fixed with the victim. The accused was reportedly looking for an opportunity to eliminate the girl.
On the day, the victim’s family members went to the house of Munni’s paramour for the engagement ceremony of the would-be husband and wife leaving the girl alone at home. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused went to the girl’s house and allegedly offered her cold drink laced with pesticides.
The unsuspecting girl consumed the drink and a few moments later, started to vomit and became serious. Some of the villagers rushed her to the community health centre at Pattamundai. She was later shifted to the district headquarters hospital at Kendrapara town after her condition worsened.
IIC of Pattamundai Rural police station Naresh Sahoo said, “On being informed about the incident, we reached Damarapur village for investigation. The accused woman has been detained and is being interrogated. We have also seized a pesticide bottle from near the house of the victim girl.”
Sahoo further said palpable tension prevails in the village following the incident. Police have pacified the agitated locals and further investigation is underway.