KENDRAPARA/BHUBANESWAR: More than 72 hours after the gruesome killing of a woman in a mangrove forest near Kandarapatia village, Kendrapara Police is still in the dark about identity of the deceased. With very little clue coming in, perpetrators of the chilling crime are yet to be zeroed in on. In such circumstances, the four-year-old son of the victim is police’s best hope for a breakthrough as he is the sole witness as of now.
Body of the 25-year-old woman with her throat slit was found in the forest under Jamboo Marine police limits on Saturday. Her son, with serious head injuries, was also spotted nearby. Though it was initially being suspected that the woman was raped before being murdered, police says preliminary reports indicate otherwise. However, autopsy report is being awaited for a clear view.
The four-year-old child, currently, is undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and his condition is stated to be steadily improving. Kendrapara SP Sandeep Sampat Madkar had visited the spot on Sunday (June 27) to review investigation of the case. “We have received some clues and efforts are on to crack the case. The victim’s photographs have also been circulated to ascertain her identity,” Madkar told The New Indian Express.
Police have also provided security to the minor boy in SCB medical college. “The minor boy is the lone witness as of now. He will be of great help in confirming identities of the accused once they are nabbed. As his statement is crucial, the killer might attempt to attack him again for which security has been provided for his safety,” said an officer.
Though police along with forensic experts are probing the case from every possible angle, the identity of the woman is still a mystery. Jamboo Marine IIC Maheswar Sethi said, police suspect that she was killed somewhere else and her body dumped in an isolated place near Kandarapatia. Nobody has come forward with any information about the victims.
“Investigating officers suspect involvement of some acquaintance who might have killed her under influence of liquor. The suspicion is based on the crime scene as liquor bottles, gloves and a blood-stained knife were recovered from the spot,” he informed. The IIC further said the footage of CCTVs installed in the area was scrutinised but nothing concrete came out. Besides, there was no missing report filed in nearby police stations in the last three days.
“We have pressed a sniffer dog to assist in investigation. Establishing the identity of the womanis key to the investigation,” Sethi said. Police have questioned several people in this connection but are yet to receive any leads.