Cuttack woman stages self-drowning drama in Mahanadi to ‘abscond’ with her boyfriend; detained from Puri

In a dramatic unravelling of events, a woman from Ratagar village in Banki in Cuttack district allegedly staged her own drowning on Monday to flee to Puri, where she was located along with her reported boyfriend.

According to reports, the woman was initially suspected to have drowned in the Mahanadi during idol immersion on Monday morning.

Materials for a puja, along with some belongings of the woman, were found close to the river banks, spreading concern across the locality, with many believing she had been swept away by the current.

Following the alarm, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and three units of the fire services carried out extensive search operations in the river for three days, but found no trace of her.

Twist As Woman Located In Puri

The case took a dramatic turn when police traced Swati (name changed) in Puri’s Chudanga Sahi area, where she was found staying with her reported boyfriend.

Puri Town police detained the duo on Tuesday night, confirming that the woman had not drowned as feared but had allegedly staged her disappearance. Police said she was being questioned to establish the reasons behind the act and the sequence of events following her disappearance.

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Handover To Banki Police For Probe

Sources reported that the woman will be handed over to Banki police for further investigation. Police added that the inquiry would determine whether the incident involved deliberate planning, any external support, or misrepresentation to mislead her family and community.

As of the last reports, no comments could be obtained from the accused woman or her family in Banki.