JEYPORE: Koraput Town police on Friday arrested a constable of the 1st Indian reserve Battalion (IRB) on charges of burning his wife alive over dowry.
The accused constable, Siba Sankar Patra (28), first hit his 22-year-old wife Priyanka Panda with a crowbar on the head and after she lost consciousness, burned her alive in the bedroom, said police. The incident took place in the quarters of the Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP) 3rd Battalion at OMP Line under Koraput Town police limits on Wednesday night.
Police sources said Priyanka had married Siba one and a half years back. The couple has a six-month-old daughter. At around 8 pm on Wednesday, the local fire services personnel were informed about a blaze in Siba’s official quarters. They rushed to the spot and found Priyanka engulfed in flames inside the bedroom. They tried to rescue her but to no avail. Siba had reportedly informed the fire brigade about a short circuit in his house which led to the blaze.
On being informed, Koraput Town police reached the spot and sent Priyanka’s body to SLN medical college and hospital for autopsy. On Thursday, the deceased woman’s parents, who are residents of Tekeli village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, lodged a complaint with police alleging that their daughter was being tortured by her husband and in-laws over dowry. They claimed that Priyanka was murdered by her husband.
Basing on the complaint, police detained Siba for questioning, During interrogation, Siba confessed to killing his wife over domestic issues. The accused reportedly hit her on the head with crowbar. When Priyanka became unconscious, he took her to the bedroom and set her afire.
Police further said Siba was harassing Priyanka for more dowry. He was demanding cash from his in-laws to construct a house. Koraput Town IIC Satyendra Patra said the accused was arrested on charges of dowry torture and murder. He was produced in court in the evening.
