BERHAMPUR: A 35-year-old woman allegedly bludgeoned her husband to death with a brick over marital dispute at Gopalpur village under Talsara panchayat within Beguniapada police limits in Ganjam district late in the night on Tuesday.
Police on Wednesday arrested the accused, Reena Bhuiyan of Gopalpur, on charges of killing her husband Narayan Bhuiyan (40) of Biribatia village.
Sources said there was a long-standing dispute between the couple as Narayan reportedly suspected Reena of having an extra-marital affair. The tension led to their separation with Reena residing in Gopalpur with their 16-year-old daughter, and Narayan living in a separate house in the same village with their 12-year-old son and his mother Nisha Bhuiyan (59).
Police said Narayan visited Reena’s house on Tuesday night when the rest of the household was asleep. An argument reportedly broke out between the duo, which escalated into a physical altercation. During the scuffle, Narayan fell to the ground and in a fit of rage, Reena allegedly hit him on the head with a brick.
On seeing her husband bleeding profusely, Reena calmed down and dragged Narayan inside the house to help him. However, the husband reportedly grabbed an axe and tried to attack her. In retaliation, Reena overpowered him, seized the axe and attacked him again. After Narayan fell unconscious, she continued to strike his head repeatedly with the brick, leading to his death, said police.
When Narayan didn’t return home the next morning, his mother went to Reena’s house and found her sitting beside her husband’s blood-soaked body.
On being informed, a team of police led by Beguniapada IIC Bhagaban Pujari rushed to the spot and launched an investigation. Pujari said the deceased’s body was sent to hospital for postmortem. The accused has been arrested. A villager has also been detained for questioning. “We are probing the incident from all angles,” the IIC added.