BHUBANESWAR: A 30-year-old man allegedly murdered a married woman in her home and sent her photograph to the husband on WhatsApp in an intriguing incident that took place in Bhimatangi Housing Board Colony under Airfield police limits here on Monday.
The accused, Jagannath Pradhan, then reportedly slit his veins in an unsuccessful suicide bid. What’s even more shocking was the suicide note he had left behind. It mentioned that he had killed the woman, later identified as Priyanka Priyadarshini Sahoo, as well as her son before he took his own life.
Fortunately, the kid was playing elsewhere and escaped the accused’s bloody plans. Pradhan has been admitted to a hospital. Preliminary investigation suggested that he knew the victim and personal dispute could be a reason behind the murder.
Police said, the accused had initially made a video call to Rakesh, husband of the 26-year-old victim, at about 11 am but the latter he did not respond to the unknown number. He then sent in photograph of his wife lying in a pool of blood using the messaging service.
The husband, who was outside, immediately informed his landlord’s family who, to their horror, found the woman lying dead along with an unknown man in an unconscious state in her bedroom. Rakesh, Priyanka along with their son stayed on the ground floor and their landlord lived on the first floor of the building.
Police rushed to the spot and shifted the victim and the accused to the hospital. Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash visited the crime scene and a forensic team was also pressed into the job. Accused Pradhan is a native of Badamangalpur in Jajpur district.Police seized two blood stained knifes used in the crime and the suicide note written by Pradhan prior to killing Priyanka.
“After Jagannath regained consciousness, his statement was recorded. Preliminary probe indicates the victim and the accused were known to each other and he killed her over a personal dispute. Further probe is on,” said DCP Dash.
Meanwhile, the victim’s family said their daughter was happily married and they did not know Pradhan. Rakesh too told the police that he did not know the accused. This is the fourth murder to the rocked the Capital city within a span of about one month.