A couple was arrested on Sunday on charges of their alleged involvement in killing a woman and burying her body after chopping it into 31 pieces in a forest near Murumadihi under Raighar police limits in Nabarangpur district.
Earlier, the couple, identified as Chandra Rout and his wife from Murumadihi village, was detained at Raighar police station in connection with the murder of Tilabati Gond who was a resident of Baghabeda village.
Subsequently, police arrested them after their interrogation. Papadahandi SDPO Aditya Sen informed that the woman was murdered due to a love relationship.
“We have arrested the couple in connection with the case. Further investigation into the incident is currently underway. Proper action will be taken after the completion of the investigation,” said Sen.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and the villagers staged a protest in front of Raighar police station demanding that the culprit should be hanged to death.
“We demand stern punishment against the culprits as they have murdered my niece in a gruesome manner and chopped her body into 31 pieces for a love relationship,” said the deceased’s uncle.
“We want justice for Tilabati. The culprits should be hanged. If required, we will give witnesses and produce evidence in the court,” said the deceased’s sister-in-law.
“Chandra had killed Tilabati. When the police exhumed the body, it was found to have been cut into 31 pieces,” said an eyewitness.
Notably, Police on Friday exhumed the body of the woman from the forest. During exhumation, the cops recovered the body in 31 pieces.