JAGATSINGHPUR: Mystery shrouds the death of a 17-year-old girl who was found hanging at her home in Mangapur village under Balikuda police limits here on Wednesday night.
The deceased was a Plus II student of Balikuda Women’s College. While villagers said she might have taken the extreme step due to opposition of some of her family members to her relationship with a youth, the girl’s father alleged that his daughter was murdered by her uncle, aunt and another person.
Sources said the girl originally hailed from Tigiria village in Kendrapara district. After her mother died when she was four years old, her father remarried. Subsequently, her uncle Biswajit Mallick of Mangapur brought her to his house and looked after her upbringing and education.
Locals said the girl was in a relationship with a youth, which created tension in her uncle’s family. Members of the family were reportedly opposed to the relationship.
On Wednesday night, the girl was alone in the house as both her uncle and aunt had gone out for some work. On returning home, they found her hanging from the ceiling fan.
On receiving information, the girl’s father, Subash Mallick, reached Mangapur and accused Biswajit and his family members of humiliating and torturing his daughter over her relationship. He also lodged a complaint with Balikuda police alleging that the girl’s uncle, aunt and another villager killed her and hanged her body to portray it as a case of suicide.
Balikuda IIC Susanta Sahoo said police have registered a case under sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the BNS against the accused persons. Investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the girl’s death.