Half-burnt body of a woman recovered from Odisha forest; murder suspected

A half-burnt and decomposed body of an unidentified woman was recovered from a forest near Champeidahi, a tribal hamlet under Ghasipura police station limits in Keonjhar district on Saturday.

Sources indicated that local police arrived at the scene after receiving reports of a decomposing body. The crime scene was located deep inside the forests and away from any settlements. Further, a pack of matchsticks and clothes reportedly belonging to the deceased woman were found scattered near the body raising suspicions of murder.

As per a preliminary analysis based on the evidence authorities suspected that the woman was brought from another location, forcefully dragged into the forest before being killed and set on fire. The perpetrators fled the spot but no tracks leading to them have been found as of yet.

Police, after examining the corpse, also stated that the woman was likely to be in her 30s. However, further details could only be ascertained after a forensic analysis. Till the last reports, a scientific team was called to the site and police were involved in evidence gathering.

ALSO READ: Woman found in critical condition in Bargarh forest: 3 arrested, key accused still absconding

In a puzzling state of affairs, no local resident had any clue of the half-burnt body lying not far from their village nor have they revealed any information regarding the case or relayed any possible clues to the police.