KENDRAPARA/BHUBANESWAR: Even as the tragic death of the 20-year-old college girl continued to generate political heat, Kendrapara police on Friday maintained that it has not ruled out the angle of foul-play in the sensitive case.
Police pressed a forensic medicine and toxicology (FMT) doctors’ team at the victim’s house under Pattamundai rural police limits.
The victim’s father had set herself ablaze due to a blackmail threat from her boyfriend.
Sources said though prima facie it appeared to be a case of suicide, a detailed spot verification and available circumstantial evidence did not completely rule out foul play. “The victim did not sustain serious burn injuries and a small quantity of the inflammable substance was found on the spot,” sources added.
Police are also awaiting her autopsy report to ascertain whether her burn injuries were ante-mortem or post-mortem in nature.
Police are investigating if there was even minutest of possibility that she was murdered and then her body was set on fire. “The victim’s autopsy was conducted by a team of FMT doctors at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Thursday,” said sources. The team of FMT doctors also visited the girl’s house on the day to examine the circumstantial evidence.
“Prima facie it seems to be a case of self-immolation but we have not ruled out foul play in this case for which we are investigating all angels. A police and scientific team are examining the autopsy report of the girl to know the exact reason of her death,” Kendrapara SP Sidhartha Kataria said.
Sources said police questioned the victim’s parents on Friday. Her parents had claimed that they visited community health centre in Pattamundai at 7.30 am on Wednesday and returned by 11 am. Police sources said the investigators may also visit the CHC as part of their investigation.
The girl’s father had alleged that she died by suicide after receiving blackmail threats from her boyfriend. He also claimed that the youth had made her video viral just two days before her death. However, so far, police have not recovered any such viral video of the victim.
Earlier in the day, the youth’s mother told mediapersons that the girl’s parents were aware about their relationship and were trying to implicate her son in a false case.
Police said if it turns out to be a case of suicide and abetment is proved, then the youth will be arrested.
Meanwhile, the charred body of the girl was cremated in the village on Thursday night. The death has created fresh outrage among the people, triggering political mudslinging in the district.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)