SAMBALPUR: In a shocking incident, an 18-year-old murder victim was cremated 40 km away from her ancestral place within Rairakhol police limits after residents of two villages refused to allow her last rites at their cremation grounds over a superstitious belief.
Tension prevailed in Sahebi and nearby Jharbeda villages after residents opposed cremation at their respective burial grounds allegedly claiming that cremation of a ‘rape victim’ would invite bad luck to the villages.
Following the ruckus, the 18-year-old girl’s last rites were conducted at the crematorium in Rairakhol NAC on Tuesday, two days after her body was found. The cremation was held in presence of her family members and district administration officials.
The body of the deceased was brought to Rairakhol sub-divisional hospital from VIMSAR, Burla on Monday after autopsy. However, when the family was planning for cremation, they faced strong resistance from the villagers of Sahebi. Subsequently, the family went to Jharbeda village but faced a similar situation. Though police intervened and discussed with the villagers, the latter could not be convinced.
Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Prasanta Meher said, “People of both the villages were reluctant to allow her cremation and giving multiple baseless reasons to strengthen their claims. Hence, we brought the body to Rairakhol for cremation. Though there was a mild tension, the situation is now under control.”
On Friday the victim, a native of Sahebi village in Naktideul within Rairakhol police limits, went for a bath at the village pond in Suarijharan. When she did not return for a long time, her family members went looking for her.
Though they found her clothes, slippers and mobile phone, she was nowhere to be found following which they filed a complaint with Rairakhol police the same day. Later on Sunday, body of the girl was found without clothes near Kaunsigul in Rairakhol by local women. Following the incident, the family alleged rape and murder.
Subsequently, villagers of Sahebi blocked Rairakhol-Angul road, demanding arrest of the accused. During investigation, police arrested Hari Behera, a neighbour of the deceased, in this connection.
The villagers continued their protest on Monday demanding remand of the accused for scene recreation and thorough investigation. However, the protest subsided after the body reached the village for cremation.
Meanwhile, the accused confessed to have committed the murder but the allegation of rape is yet to be established, Meher said adding, further details could be ascertained after postmortem report is received.
A case has been registered under sections 103 and 238 of BNS for murder and causing disappearance of evidence respectively.