TV
A 17-year-old girl, who had eloped and married her lover just four days ago, was found hanging in a forest near her village in Dhenkanal district on Tuesday evening, triggering shock and outrage across the region.
The deceased was a resident of Kandhara village under Kankadahada police limits. According to reports, she had tied the knot with Biren Nayak, a young man from Hatiluchani village under Parjang police limits, on July 25.
The two reportedly met four months ago at the Dhenkanal bus stand, where Biren sold packaged water bottles. Their relationship began after exchanging phone numbers and quickly progressed to an elopement and a temple marriage.
Dispute Over Mobile Phone Preceded Death
According to police sources and family accounts, the bride, who has been identified as a minor, had returned to her parental home on Tuesday afternoon along with her husband. Later that evening, following a heated argument reportedly over a mobile phone, she was found hanging from a tree in a nearby cashew forest.
Local villagers spotted the body and informed her family, who then alerted the police. Officers from the Kankadahada police station, with the assistance of the fire service, recovered the body in the presence of villagers and sent it to Kamakhsyanagar Medical College for post-mortem.
Continuing their preliminary investigation, police have detained her husband, Biren Nayak, for questioning and are treating the incident as a suspicious death until the autopsy results confirm the cause.
"Around midnight, she went to the washroom. I had asked her younger brother to accompany her. A few moments later, he alerted us that she was missing. There was no fighting. I had simply said a few words out of anger, and everything appeared to be normal," said Nayak.
Investigation Underway
Dhenkanal police have launched a detailed investigation into the matter, including the circumstances of the marriage, the quarrel, and any possible external influence leading to the death. The forensic and post-mortem reports are awaited to ascertain whether it involved foul play.
