Police on Sunday arrested a lady lecturer for allegedly torturing her daughter-in-law for dowry at Ugratara Colony in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur.
According to the police, Rashmita Behera of Latabila area under Bhuban police limits in Dhenkanal district had married Suprabha Jena’s son Kharavela Digvijay, a resident of Jagatsinghpur district. Two months after the marriage, the family members allegedly started pressurizing her to bring Rs 10 lakh dowry to buy a car. When she refused, they started inflicting mental and physical torture on her.
On June 6, Suprabha, who worked as a lecturer at a college in Jagatsinghpur, branded Rashmita with a hot frying pan. Her ordeal didn’t end there. Her husband too attacked her with a knife. Rashmita had lodged a complaint on July 9.
On the basis of the complaint, Bhuban police launched an investigation and arrested Rashmita’s mother-in-law and husband. As their bail pleas were rejected, they were remanded in judicial custody.
Narrating her ordeal, Rashmita said, “My mother-in-law branded me with a hot frying pan after I burnt rotis. Then my husband threatened me that they would thrash me to death if I inform my parents.”
Rashmita’s mother said, “They had not demanded money for a car at the time of marriage. Two months later, they asked my daughter to bring Rs 10 lakh or a car so that she (Suprabha) could go to college in car. Her husband was also mounting pressure on Rashmita to bring money.”
However, Rashmita’s brother-in-law Sriharsh Digvijay Patra rebuffed the allegations.
Informing about the case, Dhenkanal SP Gyanaranjan Mohapatra said, “After investigation, we were convinced that the allegations were true. A team from Bhuban police station went to Jagatsinghpur and arrested her (Rashmita) husband and mother-in-law. They were produced in a court. Our investigation is underway and if anyone’s involvement is proven, action will be taken.”