BARIPADA: In a shocking incident, a 26-year-old widow died allegedly after being assaulted by her father who found her to be pregnant at Kaptipada in Mayurbhanj district.
The 60-year-old Jethu Tudu was arrested on Sunday following a complaint lodged by his son Durga Tudu with Kaptipada police. The incident occurred on Friday evening.
As per Durga’s complaint, his sister Shakar had married Mangal Murmu three years ago and the couple had a three-year-old daughter. Mangal passed away after a prolonged illness last year. Shakar along with her daughter returned to her parental house after the death of her husband.
On Friday, Jethu came to know about his daughter’s pregnancy and confronted her. When Shakar confessed to being pregnant, the 60-year-old lost his cool and started assaulting her. He allegedly kicked her in the womb too. The 26-year-old collapsed and later succumbed. Police said, Jethu wanted to cremate her body but villagers stopped him.
On Sunday, Durga lodged a formal complaint with police following which the woman’s body was seized and sent to Udala sub-divisional hospital for post-mortem. A case was registered under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code against Jethu who was arrested. He was produced before Udala SDJM and remanded in judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected.