BHUBANESWAR: In a dramatic turn of events, police on Saturday seized the half-burnt body of former Brahmagiri MLA Ajay Jena’s wife from the crematorium in city’s Satya Nagar after her family cried foul play.
Kharavela Nagar police rushed to the crematorium when the last rites of Ajay’s wife Ashrukana Pradhan (76) were underway. The cops retrieved the body from the pyre in presence of her siblings as well as other relatives and sent it to Capital Hospital for postmortem.
After the passing of her husband as well as her son, Ashrukana was staying with her daughter, daughter-in-law Upasana Sarangi and grandchildren at their house in Madhusudan Nagar area here.
Police quoted Upasana saying that Ashrukana reportedly breathed her last at 6 am on Saturday. Her body was taken to Satya Nagar crematorium for the final rites by her daughter-in-law. However, controversy arose when the 76-year-old deceased’s younger brother alleged foul play saying the cremation was being held hurriedly without informing the family members.
Later, Ashrukana’s younger sister Monica Pradhan lodged a complaint at Kharavela Nagar police station. Upasana told mediapersons that she took her mother-in-law to a private clinic after she was found lifeless during early hours of the day. She obtained her death certificate as the document was required to perform the last rites. She claimed that she had informed Ashrukana’s siblings and other relatives about her death. However, kin of the MLA alleged Upasana took the body to the crematorium without their knowledge. Subsequently, a scientific team and police reached the crematorium and seized the elderly woman’s half-burnt body.
“A case of murder was registered basing on allegations of her siblings and an investigation has been launched,” said Kharavela Nagar police station IIC Rajanikanta Mishra.
Ashrukana’s death comes just over a year after her husband Ajay (80) passed away in October 2023. He was elected to the state Assembly twice - in 1977 and 1990 on Janata Party and Janata Dal tickets respectively.