JEYPORE: The alleged murder of the 20-year-old tribal woman, whose nude body was found in a cashew forest in Borigumma about a week back, has a twist in the tale. Investigation revealed that the victim stepped on a live wire laid for trapping a boar and was electrocuted.
Four persons, including a minor brother of the woman, were arrested by police for laying the live wire trap. The cops are on the lookout for other accomplices.
Borigumma Police which had started investigation into the incident as a murder case has slapped case against the accused under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 34 (furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
Preliminary investigation had ruled out sexual assault of the deceased Subhadra Amanatya, a native of Chilliguda village. Subhadra’s minor brother, her cousin Bhuban Amanatya (34) apart from Pabitra Bhatra (32) and Bhubana Bhatra (30) of Badamajhia village were arrested after statements of 30 villagers were recorded during investigation and subsequent probe.
On December 30, Subhadra who worked in the local cashew mill had gone to the nearby forest reportedly to collect firewood. When she did not return, her family members launched a frantic search. Two days later, villagers found a cellphone on the road leading to the cashew forest and informed her parents.
Further search led to blood stains and recovery of the injury-ridden body of the woman in a nearby bush. Since locals suspected that Subhadra was raped before being murdered, Borigumma police registered a murder case and began probe.
During investigation, it came to light that on the day of the incident, eight villagers from Chilliguda and Badamajhia had laid an 1100 volt live wire in the forest to trap a wild boar. Subhadra had stepped into the forest the same night to meet a friend on the pretext of collecting firewood. Upon seeing her brother laying the live wire, she took another route but fell in the trap and was electrocuted, police claimed.
When the accused came to the spot the next morning and found her dead, they shifted her body to a nearby bush. They also removed her clothes to make it appear like a case of rape and murder, police said.
Koraput SP Varun Guntupalli confirmed that the woman was electrocuted after coming in contact with a live wire set to trap a wild boar. The accused were produced before a court and efforts are on to nab the others, he said.