PHULBANI: Mystery surrounds the death of woman under Phulbani Sadar police limits, after her family alleged she was killed by her in-laws over dowry demands.
The deceased was identified as Priyambada Patnaik, a native of Balangir district. She reportedly died by suicide on Monday after overdosing on medication for high-blood pressure.
However, Priyambada’s mother, Kabitarani Patnaik, filed a complaint with the police on Wednesday alleging that her in-laws killed over dowry. On receiving information that Priyambada was admitted on February 1, Kabitarani rushed to the hospital, where Priyambada died the next day.
Priyambada was married to Arabind Mohanty of Majuribida village under Phulbani Sadar police limits in 2020. According to her mother, the marriage was peaceful for the first two years, after which her in-laws allegedly began harassing Priyambada and demanded `50 lakh as dowry.
While her in-laws claimed that Priyambada died by suicide, Kabitarani alleged that her daughter had been subjected to prolonged physical and mental torture. She further claimed that Priyambada was reportedly assaulted and forcibly administered high blood pressure medication while unconscious, which led to her death.
Initially, an unnatural death case was registered at Baidyanathpur police station in Berhampur and her body sent for postmortem. Later, based on the complaint, police registered a separate case. Phulbani Sadar SDPO Shubrajit Biswal said an investigation is underway.