The body of a woman was found in a paddy field, about 200 metres away from her house, at Larkipali village in Bolangir district on Thursday.
Empty liquor bottles and broken bangles were found scattered near her body hinting that the woman has been murdered after being raped.
However, it is yet to be ascertained whether one or more people were involved in the heinous crime.
Upon being informed by the locals, Bolangir Town police along with a scientific team reached the spot and launched an investigation into the murder case.
As per reports, the woman, who was estranged by her husband, was living with her son. She stepped out of her home last night to attend the nature's call. Locals suspect that, some miscreants tried to rape the woman in the field and killed her.
The body of the woman has an injury mark on her head which suggests that she tried to flee away from the clutch of the miscreants while they were trying to murder her.
Bolangir police have launched an investigation into the murder case. However, they refused to give any comment during the initial stage of the probe.
(Edited by Ramakant Biswas)