BHAWANIPATNA: In a shocking incident, two women of Kalahandi’s Golamunda block allegedly killed their newborns with the help of their lover to hide their illicit triangular relationship. All three of them, who committed the crimes in Goa where they worked as labourers during lockdown last year, have been arrested. They are Tripal Naik (36) of Beherensil village in Jaipatna, Gurubari Majhi (30) and Gayatri Nag (22) of Borguma village in Golamunda.
Police said Tripal entered into a relationship with Gurubari and Gayatri when they were working in Goa days before the nationwide lockdown was declared to contain the spread of Covid-19 last year. While other labourers from Odisha returned home due to the lockdown restrictions, the trio stayed back at Saper in Goa and continued to work at a construction site.
During this period, Tripal developed physical relationship with Gurubari and Gayatri on the assurance of marriage and subsequently, impregnated both of them. In June this year, Gurubari gave birth to a boy. Since the baby was born from her extra-marital affair, Gurubari did not go to the hospital and delivered at their home in Goa. But Tripal was not ready to raise the child. With the help of Gayatri, he allegedly strangulated the newborn to death and buried the body behind his house. Despite knowing everything, Gurubari remained silent and even helped the other two in disposing of the body.
After a month, Gayatri too gave birth to a baby boy. Since they had to return to their native place and Gayatri was unmarried, she decided to kill the baby. With help of Tripal, the mother killed the one-day-old newborn and buried the body in their backyard. After a few days, Tripal disclosed that he was married and suggested both the women to stay away from him.
The trio returned to Kalahandi from Goa on July 4 this year. While Gayatri and Gurubari left for Borguma, Tripal went to his native village. On July 26, Tripal came to Borguma and abducted Gayatri. However, the woman’s parents rescued her from Brahmaniguda forest in Kesinga and reported the matter to Golamunda police.
Police detained Tripal and during interrogation, came to know about the crime committed by the trio. Tripal and Gayatri were arrested on July 30. Police took Tripal to Goa and the bodies of the newborns were exhumed in presence of an executive magistrate on August 5. Police also seized the pickaxe used to bury the newborns.
Postmortem of the bodies was conducted by a forensic expert at Goa Medical College and Hospital. Police have collected blood samples from the accused for DNA fingerprinting.
On Friday, police arrested Gurubari for her complicity in the crime, said Kalahandi SP Saravana Vivek M.