Woman found dead in Odisha; victim's family alleges dowry torture

The body of a woman was spotted under mysterious circumstances in Bhadrak district’s Kaithakhola village on Thursday, which has led to accusations of domestic violence. Parents of the victim alleged repeated abuse by her in-laws, especially after the birth of her girl child.

Also Read: Woman’s family alleges dowry death; halts post-mortem in Kendrapara

The suspicious death has allegations have prompted a police investigation.

According to sources, a disturbing incident has unfolded in Kaithakhola under Dhamra police limits in the district, where a woman identified as Saraswati Barik was found dead under suspicious circumstances. The victim, Saraswati, had married Manoranjan Barik nearly three years ago, but soon after their marriage, tensions allegedly arose over a demand for dowry, with the woman’s in-laws subjecting her to repeated abuse.

The alleged torture intensified after the birth of Saraswati’s child (a girl), with further claims of mistreatment at her in-laws' house. These accusations led to the discovery of her lifeless body near a tree on the outskirts of the village, sparking outrage among her paternal family members, who are now accusing her in-laws of being responsible for the death.

The family has reported the matter to the police, and an investigation has been launched. While the in-laws have denied the allegations, claiming the accusations are baseless, police have detained Saraswati’s husband, Manoranjan, for questioning.

Police are continuing their investigation into the cause of Saraswati’s death, with suspicions of domestic violence and dowry-related harassment at the core of the case.

“If we have committed any mistake, we will be punished. I can’t say what was wrong with her (Saraswati). She used to talk properly for a couple of days, and then something would go wrong. Everybody knew this very well, including her mother,” the deceased woman’s mother-in-law, Anjali Barik, stated.

“They (Saraswati’s in-laws) had earlier said that they would not take any dowry. So, we got our daughter married. They subsequently demanded dowry and tortured her. They killed her today and discarded her body,” the victim’s mother, Jamuna Barik said.

Reported By: Trilochan Sahu